Shego And The Trix
by Aelfstangard
Summary: Shego is fed up with her dead-end existence in Middleton and decides to have the Tempus Simia take her on a new adventure which lands her in Cloud Tower and at the feet of The Trix. An alternate universe story combining the Winx Club and Kim Possible. Cover art: Shego and M'Trika sparing by Max Blackrabbit.
1. The Trip to Alfea

**Shego and The Trix**

**Chapter 1 : The Voyage To Alfea**

{

I do not own either _Kim Possible _or _The Winx Club _which are the property of Walt Disney Productions and Iginio Straffi. My only desire is to write a high quality fan fiction that the lovers of these two wonderful and magical worlds may read and enjoy.

Because my stories based on the Winx Club come from the Witches' camp, which has been barely developed in the animated series, I have had to, perforce, to fill in from my own imagination many blanks concerning the Witches' life-styles and culture and also create a host of original characters to give my stories substance. As a result, my stories take place in an alternate version of the Winx Club universe, so, you must expect to fine deviations from what most of you may have come to expect. I am hoping, though, that you, my good readers, will find that this enriches the Winx Club universe and that you will read and enjoy my stories as much as I enjoy penning them for you.

If you are new to my stories, I suggest that you read them in the order_: Ishandra : Icy's Tale, The Musa Wars_ and then the rest. _Shego And The Trix_ is a cross-over story that takes place in both my alternate Winx Club universe and the Kim Possible universe but builds to a degree upon the first two stories.

}

Shego is in a fury and pacing back and forth in her soundproofed room.

"I hate Middleton, I hate Kim Possible, I hate working for that demented Doctor Drakken on his harebrained schemes to dominate the world and for his mechanic brother, Motor Ed, who is just as mad in a different way," she rages. "And I am fed up with Señor Senior Jr.," she growls for, although she thinks of him as handsome and buff, she quickly learns that he has no ambitions other than pursuing his dance career and being eternally the man servant for his father Señor Senior Sr. Then angrier still, she screams, "And most of all, I hate Ron Stoppable for making such a fool of me and the laughingstock of just everyone."

Shego boils as she recalls that day. She, Dr. Drakken, Duff Killigan and Monkey Fist were about to replace the head upon the body of the Tempus Simia – a magical statue that would allow them to travel through time. They are only minutes away from completing the task when Kim Possible and her buffoon sidekick, Ron Stoppable, show up and Kim manages to steal the head away from them and a kung-fu, karate and flying green plasma battle is on. Shego chases after Kim to retrieve the head but Kim has set up a game of toss between Ron and herself leaving Shego in the middle trying to recapture it. Finally, when she sees Kim toss the head again to Ron who fumbles for a second, she sees her chance for repossession and, putting on a burst of speed, rushes in for the tackle and hits him just a split second too late. She is on top of Ron and has his back and arms pinned to the ground when his expression turns into a mushy, addlepated "Ah wuvs oo," look and he says to her, "Hey, you're kind-a cute in this light." Then, unexpectedly, Ron flips her on her back and is planting a juicy, wet and passionate one on her mouth. Then again, much to her horror and chagrin, she finds her body responding by wrapping her arms around Ron's neck and kissing him passionately back while Kim looks on in utter shock and The Mad Golfer, The Demented Doctor and Monkey Boy laugh and croon, "Sheeego, Sheeego, Shego's in love-ov-ov-ove!" Sheesh! In one of the timelines she explored via the Tempus Simia she finds her alternate self having given into Ron's advances, married to him, gone all to pot and the mother of six squalling and screaming brats.

The recollection draws her attention to the Tempus Simia which is sitting on a pedestal in one corner of her room. "And you, you," snarls Shego, picking it up and talking to it as if it were something alive. "What earthly good are you to me?" she spits for it seems that no matter which timeline she travels through whether into the past or into the future, she finds Kim Possible, her ancestors or her progeny there waiting for her to kick her black and green clad butt back to the present. Shego pulls back her arm ready to smash the Tempus Simia against the wall when she hears a staccato "click!" just before she is about to send it flying to its doom.

"What?" says Shego, examining the statue. "Well, it seems that you have an alternate setting," she whispers to herself. "This may have just earned you a new lease on your wretched life." Shego ponders for only a short time before she arrives at the conclusion that a new adventure would be better than remaining in this dead-end situation in which she finds herself here and maybe this time things might just work out for her. Then holding the Time Monkey in her hand she incants, "Do your thing, O Tempus Simia."

Shego finds herself being buffeted, tossed, twisted and shuffled back and forth as the Tempus Simia takes her on a wild roller coaster ride. She feels that she is about to slip into a blackout when then she feels herself land on something cushy with her head spinning. For a moment, all she can see before her is a blur but by-and-by it settles into a vision of three pairs of slender and shapely women's legs clad in high stiletto boots. She looks up into the faces of three women standing over her looking shocked and baffled. One possesses snow-white hair done up in a high ponytail, ice-blue eyes and is wearing a skin-tight black outfit which gives Shego the impression that she is the one in charge. Her companions are a short brunette wearing square-cut glasses and the other is shorter still with puffy blue-black hair that resembles a thundercloud and an irritated look on her face.

"Na leq-qa i-vulu savikh cha sailo-qaq," says the leader to her.

"Well, oogly-woogly rama lama ding-dong right back at you," replies Shego.

The leader looks at her companions who shrug and say something that can only mean, "Don't look at us for we ain't got no clue." Then Shego sees a ball of white plasma form in the leader's hands which she drives right into her face.

"Ouch! That stings!" screams Shego as she springs to her feet and grabs the leader by the front of her tunic and lifts her off her feet. "Go-on," snarls Shego into the leader's face, "just give me another reason, babe, to rearrange your pretty face," and fires up her other hand with green plasma.

"Easy, easy, my raven beauty," Shego suddenly hears the leader say in a silky, mezzo voice. "How about putting me down and then I will explain all to you."

"You speak English?" asks Shego of the white-haired leader who despite her high stiletto boots barely makes it to under her chin.

"No, we speak Witchspeak but you hear your own language through the translator spell I just cast upon you," explains the leader, smiling sweetly at her with a smitten look in her eyes.

"And I am now speaking this Witchspeak language?" asks Shego.

"No," says the leader again. "You continue to speak your own language but we hear Witchspeak. But I'm being a poor hostess. I am called Icy and these are my sisters Darcy and the little one here is Stormy."

"I'm Shego," says Shego, offering Icy her hand which is ignored.

"Your name is 'Mischievous Pixie'?" asks Icy looking confused while her two sisters giggle.

"What do you mean 'Mischievous Pixie'?" asks Shego not sure if she is being insulted or just teased.

"Forgive me," says Icy. "The translator spell is not perfect but that is the way your name is being rendered into Witchspeak and, although I can agree that you may be mischievous, I find that you are just a tad too tall to be a pixie," she adds with a grin.

Icy leads Shego to a kind of sofa and bids her sit down and relax. She then snaps her fingers and a tray with four goblets and a platter of what appears to be of cheese, fruit and biscuits appears floating in the air. "This is some local wine brewed right here," says Icy as she offers Shego one of the goblets.

Shego takes a cautious sip of the wine thinking that it is better to accept this offer of food, drink and hospitality for the moment rather than risking offending this Trix, as she learns they call themselves collectively, who could become potentially deadly enemies if slighted. "This is lovely wine," she says finding it to be well aged with an earthy taste and bouquet although with a rather sharp aftertaste yet bringing a warm flush to her cheeks.

"Try the chocolate chip and chirpies cookies," encourages Icy indicating one of the piles of cookies on the platter. Shego feels a sudden pang of hunger and is glad that there is at least chocolate wherever she is, and, before she gives any second thoughts to it, has half of one of the cookies already in her mouth. Well, yes, there is chocolate but it's dark and unsweetened and the "chirpies" had a taste she couldn't quite place but found to be crunchy and not all that bad.

"What are 'chirpies'?" she asks Icy.

"Crickets," replies Icy, smiling. "Do you like them?" but then, seeing the expression on Shego's face, breaks up laughing and her two sisters look as if they are about to fall off the sofa and start rolling on the floor.

"Well, my raven beauty," says Icy soothingly but still trying to suppress her laughter, "you will have to get accustomed to the local viands if you wish to live here on Alfea."

Icy and Shego and Icy's sisters continue to converse until the sun is nearly below the horizon. During the conversation, Shego learns that she is now on the Planet of Alfea which is inhabited by two groups of magical beings who call themselves Witches and Faeries yet she finds Icy to be too beautiful to be any of the storybook Witches she has read about. There is an on-going war being raged between them and a group of Faeries called the Winx for something she calls Dragon Fire. The battle is going badly for The Trix mostly because they are being out-classed and out-gunned by the Winx and especially by one among them named Bloom whom Icy claims to be in possession of her stolen Dragon Fire. Then Shego gives The Trix a quick run-down of her situation in her own dimension.

"Well, we appear to have much in common," says Icy and her sisters chime in in agreement. "We are all Witches in our own dimensions and we are fighting against uppity redheads whom we want squashed, so how about this?" she purrs. "If you join us and add your powers to ours so we can clip Bloom's wings and crush the Winx into Faerie dust then in return we'll go to your dimension and help you kick this Kim Possible's butt into the next dimension."

Shego finds herself liking the way these Witches think. "Agreed," she tells them, "I will join you to help you crush these Winx if you promise to aid me in my battle against Kim Possible."

Shego stands up and offers her hand to Icy as a gesture to seal the bargain but again the gesture is ignored. Instead, Icy floats up to eyelevel and intones, "Then receive from me my sisterly kisses of agreement and acceptance," and kisses her on both temples.

"Cute custom," thinks Shego, "I guess that when in Rome…," then aloud to Icy says, "Receive also mine," and kisses Icy's one temple. But then, while kissing Icy's other temple she realizes how much she is thrilled by the sensation of her mouth against Icy's skin and how intoxicating she finds Icy's scent that sends her heart racing. "O yes," Shego thinks while shutting her eyes dreamily, "I could really get to like this one," then opens her eyes to see that she is looking into Stormy's face which is twisted into an angry and outraged snarl.


	2. Getting Through Customs

**Chapter 2 : Getting Through Customs**

Shego, seeing Stormy's expression, backs away suddenly and Icy turns to see the scowl painted on Stormy's face.

"Stormy! Be polite!" snaps Icy at Stormy. "Shego is a newcomer to Alfea and may not know any of our customs so cut her some slack and be polite until we orient her to our ways," and Stormy turns her scowl of anger into one of just sulking bitchiness.

"What did I do wrong?" asks Shego, perplexed.

"You lingered too long while kissing me," explains Icy. "The kisses of agreement and acceptance are to be quick pecks on each temple. To linger any longer than that implies something more intimate and is seen as an intrusion by any who are bonded to the one being kissed."

Shego looks at Icy baffled and confused. "A trix is any group of three Witches who work together as a team," Icy continues. "Darcy, Stormy and I are called 'The Trix' simply because we are the most powerful – at least among the human Witches. We could have just as easily been called Icy's Trix or The D.I.S.-Trix. There are other trix who reside at Cloud Tower. There is, for example, a trix of three Margay Cat-Witches who refer to themselves as The Margay Trix. There is The Rusulka Trix which is a trix of Water-Witches whose leader is Rusulka. M'Trika's Trix is made up of M'Trika, a Panther-Morph Witch and two Cat-Witches called Mieze and Matchka. They are the heads of the Cat-Witch guards who maintain order and discipline at Cloud Tower and who are not to be messed around with if you value your life. And the oldest trix at Cloud Tower is Griffin's Trix whose members are Miss Griffin, the headmistress of Cloud Tower, and her associates Professor Edeltrude and Professor Zarathustra."

"And so?" asks Shego, not picking up upon where Icy is heading with all this.

"When a trix is established," Icy continues to explain to Shego, "a kind of bonding is said to occur that allows the trix to work more cohesively as a single unit. Some say that bits of each one's aura are exchanged for bits of the aurae of the other two members which further cements the relationship. Still others say that when the bond between members reaches a certain pinnacle the three are able to physically merge to form a single new and more powerful entity. Darcy," she says while wrapping a sisterly arm about the brunette's neck who smiles back at her, "Stormy, my Precious Little One," putting a protective arm about the tiniest member who puts her arms around Icy's waist giving Shego the impression that they are mother and daughter rather than sisters, "and I are joined by such a bond."

"I think I understand now," replies Shego and, then, turning to Stormy says to her, "I'm sorry I have upset you."

Stormy hesitates until Icy gives her a stern look and then says, "Oh, I guess it's all right," but her expression reads, "Mummy really put you in your place – so there! Ney-ah!"

Shego finds herself wanting to smack this little brat but the thought is suddenly halted in its tracks when she sees a bolt of lightning flash before her eyes and a deafening thunderclap resounds in her head during which she swears she sees Stormy making a face at her and sticking out her tongue. But then, in the next instant, she is looking at Stormy's face again which has become the most serene picture of angelic, blue-eyed innocence.


	3. Tick! Tock! Tecna!

**Chapter 3 : Tick! Tock! Tecna!**

"Well," says Icy, "I've had enough of this finger-food. It's time to fly to Magix for a real meal," and Darcy and Stormy smile excitedly.

Icy opens a door that leads to a balcony and The Trix walk onto a stone gangplank and look about to leap to their deaths. "You don't fly?" asks Icy surprised.

"No, I don't think I can flap my arms hard enough to fly on my own," replies Shego, "but I can fly supersonic jets, helicopters and other such aircraft."

"Interesting," says Icy, "but I think you can fly in the manner we do too. You just need some instruction. It's really just a case of mind over matter. When we teach you how to bend light, you will be able to see the air streams. Flying is just like belly surfing on the wind. But today, we'll use the transportus instead."

In a flash, Shego and The Trix are in Magix, the planet's capital city, seated at an outdoor restaurant enjoying pizza – at least Shego thinks it's pizza. It looks like pizza, smells like pizza and tastes like pizza so Shego resigns herself to: if it tastes alright and doesn't make her feel sick then it is probably in her best interest not to ask questions or examine it too closely.

They are happily devouring pizza and making small-talk when Darcy suddenly signals everyone to be quiet. "I sense a Faerie near here," Darcy whispers, "let's go get her. I'll split and surround her and, Stormy, you can cuff her."

"Alright!" squeals Stormy in a low whisper and Darcy seems to split into about twenty-five duplicates of herself and they vanish. There are soon sounds of a struggle and Shego hears Stormy announce, "Got her!" Then Darcy and Stormy come out from behind a wall dragging another woman between them who seems to be restrained by shackles made of lightning.

"Looky what we've found," grins Stormy.

"Well, if it isn't Tecna," says Icy nastily. "She is the techno-geek for the Winx I told you about," she explains to Shego.

Shego looks at the pretty Stormy-sized woman who is dressed in purple leotards and wearing purple, cornet-shaped headgear that reminds her of the headgear worn by pilots during the early days of flight on Earth. But it is those eyes! Those enormous and beautiful green eyes that seem to draw her into them so Shego has to close her eyes for an instant to break the illusion.

"May I have some fun with her?" Stormy asks Icy.

"Sure," replies Icy, "but no magic and nothing that can be traced back to us. We don't want M'Trika and her kitty-cats coming after our tails."

"Aww," says Stormy with the look of a child told that she may go out to play but must leave her favourite dolly behind.

"I would have liked to have lit you up with a lightning blast," says Stormy wrapping her arms about Tecna's neck and shoulders. "Tell me, Tecna, would your head have lit up and light shone out of your eyes or would it simply blow up and the rest of you turn to Faerie dust? Well, it looks like I'll just have to wait until another time and settle for second best for the moment." Then Stormy, touching her forehead against Tecna's forehead, asks, "So what are you doing here? A little spying perhaps? No, I don't think so. Oh, I know! You are so in love with me and missed me so badly that you just had to rush over to me to profess you love for me as soon as you heard that I was in Magix. Well, Tecna, my dear, I love you too," whispers Stormy and then kisses Tecna passionately.

When Stormy releases Tecna, she spits on the ground wipes her mouth and spits in Stormy's face to which Stormy reacts by backhanding Tecna so hard that she falls to the ground and then kicks her hard in the abdomen.

"Ouch! That has got to hurt!" thinks Shego but to her surprise Tecna only moves to protect her abdomen but maintains an absolutely poker face and does not even whimper, shed a tear or cry out. Shego sees Stormy winding up for another kick but when Icy sees that the likely target is to be Tecna's head she yells at her, "Stormy! Not her head. We don't want her killed or blinded," and, frustrated, Stormy kicks off the purple headgear instead. Stormy then grabs Tecna by her hair, stands her on her feet, smacks her down again and then rains a barrage of kicks down her spine and upon her buttocks. Then she moves in front of her and kicks squarely in the centre of her chest whereupon Tecna retches up a pool of what appears to be thick brown stew that smells like month old compost.

"Is that blood?" Shego asks Icy, forcing down her feelings of revulsion.

"No," Icy tells her. "It is only the contents of her first stomach.

"Do you want to see what pixie blood looks like, Shego?" Stormy asks. "Then watch." Stormy grabs Tecna by her hair again and stands her on her feet. Then she rakes her diamond hard nails across Tecna's stomach not only tearing through the fabric of her uniform but also slashing great gouges into her flesh. "There you go," Stormy tells her, holding up to Shego a palm which is covered in what looks to be red tree sap and what, compared to the contents of her stomach that Tecna had just retched up, is so sickly sweet that it makes Shego feel like as if she is about to lose the contents of her own stomach. Then, to her amazement, Shego watches the gouges on Tecna's stomach scab over and then vanish.

"Yes," says Icy, "a Faerie's abilities to self heal are amazing but it is at a great drain on her energy. But after a few more hits she won't be able to save herself."

Stormy, still holding Tecna up by her hair, smiles sweetly at her and says, "What else can we do with you? Perhaps we can rip out a heart," and makes a grabbing gesture near where Shego figures Tecna's kidneys would be.

"Stormy!" growls Icy at Stormy.

"What's the big?" protests Stormy, "I was only going to take one. That leaves her with five that are enough to keep her alive. I thought you could witch up for us some of your famous have-a-heart soup with the one I remove."

"A nice idea, My Precious Little One," says Icy to Stormy, "but no."

"This is not fun any more," sulks Stormy while wiping off the blood that remains on her hand on Tecna's hair and down the front of her uniform then grabbing her by her shoulders shoves her towards Icy. "Your turn."

"Hmm… what next," muses Icy while looking over the shackled Faerie. "Perhaps we could take her for a drag down Bottle Shard Alley."

"But that would kill her and you know we can't do that," says Stormy.

"Right. My bad," replies Icy. "How about some pixie pendulum?"

"Boring!" chime Darcy and Stormy. "Besides," adds Darcy, "we did that to the last pixie we caught. But perhaps a game of pixie wings tug-of-war."

"Nah!" says Stormy with a dismissive wave of her hand. "Her wings are too delicate and we would only get in four good tugs before they rip off. Maybe pin-the-tail on the pixie?" she suggests and conjures what seems to Shego to be a real tail smelling of fresh blood with a darning needle sized pin in the tip."

"No good either," says Darcy. "This is Tecna. We could stick a dozen tails on her and she won't bat an eye or give us so much as a whimper of pain. No fun in that."

"That would be fun now if we had caught Stella," grins Icy. "That little prima donna thinks she's in agony when she gets a hangnail. With just one tail she would be shrieking beautiful music for us," and they all laugh hard over that.

"Say, I know what," says Darcy, smiling. "I'll cast an illusion-delusion spell on her to make her look like one of us and then see how long she lasts when flying back over the Faerie side of Magix."

"But that would require magic," says Icy but still seeming to like the idea.

"I can do it using a passive spell that M'Trika and the kitty-cats can't detect. Besides, all there needs to be is one hit and all the evidence that could point to us will vanish. If M'Trika should ask if it was our doing then we can play all innocent and tell her that it must have been a terrible accident."

"I like that!" says Icy with a feral light building in her eyes. "And with a bit of luck, it will be Bloom who blasts her out of the sky with Dragon Fire and then, not only would there be one pixie less to fight, but it would tear Bloom's heart in two when she learns what she has done. She'll weep! She'll wail!"

"She'll scream for a thousand years!" The Trix chorus.

Shego looks on at The Trix as they laugh and feels absolute disgust. Not only is this trio playing cruel and sadistic but this is dirty pool to boot. Not ever during her hottest battles with Kim Possible has she ever stooped as low as this. She has always left her opponent some measure of hope of finding a means to escape but this is totally merciless. Then she has an inspiration.

"If I may put in my own two cents worth," asks Shego, "isn't this whole war between you and the Winx about getting the Dragon Fire from the one named Bloom?"

"Yes. I told you that. So what?" replies Icy.

"What if I tell you that, if you let this Faerie go unharmed, that I can guarantee that she will have the Dragon Fire delivered into your hands by this time tomorrow without another battle or you having to lift a single finger?" she asks Icy.

"Okay," says Icy, "you have my attention."

"Let me talk to her for a few minutes," Shego says to Icy.

"Sure," says Icy, "but I think you are wasting your time."

Shego walks over to Tecna who looks at her expressionlessly with her enormous green eyes. "Tecna," Shego asks, "do you hear and understand my words?" not sure if Icy's translation spell covers Faerie languages. But, when she gets no reaction, she turns and asks Icy, "She can understand me?"

"Loud and clear," replies Icy but you won't get a word out of her. It is her way of being stoic and showing defiance.

Shego turns and by using her body to hide Tecna out of sight from The Trix and praying that it gets through the translation spell without The Trix overhearing she mouths to Tecna, "Look, you little fool. I'm trying to get you out of here alive!" but aloud she says to her, "I need to know that you understand me. Nod you head up and down like this if you do," and, much to her relief, Tecna nods.

Having established that Tecna understands her, Shego turns the Faerie about and points to an exhaust port a little ways off that is covered with a large protective hood. "This hood, Icy tells me, is made of Alfeanium which is the hardest element on your planet – even harder than diamond. Now watch," says Shego as she expertly casts a ball of green plasma and all watch on as the hood glows momentarily green and then vanishes into vapour and even though Tecna's face remains expressionless her eyes are registering absolute terror and The Trix are looking ill at ease as well.

"That was barely a quarter of my power," Shego tells Tecna, "so listen well. You are to go back to Alfea College and tell the rest of the Winx and especially the one named Bloom that you and they are to be here tomorrow at this very spot and at this very hour. And Bloom better be prepared to hand over the Dragon Fire to Icy or I will vaporize you all. And, Tecna, if you dare to pull a no-show on me then I will go to your precious little Alfea College and vaporize it and everyone in it. Do you understand me?" and Tecna nods her head vigorously up and down.

"Good!" says Shego and then turning to the Witch of Storms says to her, "Stormy, undo her shackles and set her free."

"No!" shouts Stormy. "And who are you that you think you can boss me about!"

"Stormy," growl Shego, "I will ask you but one more time to let her go," but, when Stormy stands her ground, Shego loses her patience completely and backhands Stormy one that knocks her off her feet and then sees her land with a smacking pratfall on the cobblestone street.

Stormy rebounds and screams, "You are going to die!" But Stormy, in her haste, has greatly underestimated Shego's strength and speed. Shego sees a ball of lightning materializing between Stormy's hands but, before she can cast it, Shego locks both of her hands together in the grip of one hand and lifting her off her feet sees the lightning dissipate into nothingness.

"So, I'm right," says Shego. "Witches and Faeries cannot cast their magic when their hands are bound and that is why you have shackled Tecna so she can't fight back."

"You are going to regret ever having tangled with The Trix. Sisters, to my aid!" Stormy screams.

Darcy looks about to come forward but Icy holds her back. "No, My Precious Little One," says Icy in a cold monotone. "It is high time you learn that Darcy and I are not going to fight your every battle for you. Now, as I see it, you got yourself into this fight so you can get yourself out of it."

"Icy! Darcy!" squeals Stormy in shock and disbelief then her expression turning to panic as she struggles to break Shego's grip.

"You are not so brave are you, Stormy, when you are up against someone who can fight back and Mummy Icy and Big Sister Darcy are not running to your aid, eh? Now, are you going to be a good little girl, behave, and do as I say," asks Shego while Stormy is still dangling off her feet in her grip, "or do I administer some additional incentive to your precious little tush that we on Earth reserve for spoiled brats and disobedient children known as a spanking?" and fires up her other hand with green plasma. "Yes or no, Stormy?"

"Yes," moans Stormy.

"Yes what?" asks Shego, shaking her.

"Yes, I'll do as you say," sobs Stormy then Shego lets her down gently.

"Now release Tecna and give her back her helmet," Shego orders Stormy which she does but when it comes to giving back the helmet she throws it at her but Tecna catches it and puts it back on her head.

Shego approaches Tecna and whispers to her, "You had better make good your escape but remember what I told you is no idle threat. You and the Winx show up here tomorrow on time or you all face the consequences," then aloud to her she says "Scat!" and watches as Tecna unfurls wings that look to be made of glowing green neon wire then lift off and fly towards the third moon.

Shego turns to look at Stormy who screams, "Shego, not only are you no fun but you are the ultimate loser! I hate you!" then runs bawling to Icy's arms.

"Oh, boo-hu-hu!" thinks Shego.


	4. The Plant and the Plan

**Chapter 4 : The Plant and the Plan**

Tecna lies naked and on her stomach on an examination table while Flora, the empathic Faerie of Nature, examines the bumps and contusions down her back. Beside Flora is Bloom who is assisting her. Musa is holding onto Tecna's hand and Stella is standing by comfortingly stroking Tecna's hair. Except for Tecna, there is not a dry eye among them. Flora is shaking with emotion as tears stream down her cheeks yet she manages to keep herself under control as she ministers to Tecna.

"Here," says Flora, indicating a spot on Tecna's upper spine. Bloom places her hand on the spot Flora has indicated and a warm, red glow emanates briefly from her palm and then subsides.

"Here next," says Flora and again Bloom places her palm against that spot and it glows. The process is repeated all down Tecna's spine to her tailbone and buttocks. Then Flora has Tecna sit up and tells Bloom to place her palm against the black-and-blue contusion between Tecna's firm dog-ear breasts which is over her first stomach and, lastly, upon Tecna's abdomen.

"This is the best Bloom and I can do for you," Flora says to Tecna, while handing her a fresh pair of leotards. "Your body is going to have to do the rest of its own healing. You are lucky that Stormy seems to have intimate knowledge of our anatomy and physiology. Every spot she targeted was selected to do minimum damage while inflicting maximum pain."

"What were you doing on the Witch side of Magix alone?" cries Musa at the verge of hysteria.

"I was on a mission," replies Tecna.

"What kind of harebrained mission was this and why weren't Musa and I told about it?" insists Stella.

Tecna turns to look at Bloom who nods and says, "You may tell them now."

I deliberately allowed myself to be taken captive by The Trix so I could plant a virus among them," says Tecna as Stella and Musa listen confused.

"Tecna, Flora and I developed a virus that lives without causing harm in a Faerie's body," explains Bloom, "but when it gains entry into a Witch's body, it dies within minutes and releases its own package which is a tag that binds itself with Witch DNA that we can track through passive scanning. The mission was to infect The Trix so they would be marked and to neutralize their ability to ambush us or elude us by shape shifting or using an invisibility cloak. Even Darcy's clones will be detectable no matter how many she creates. Tecna volunteered to be the carrier of this virus to The Trix."

"This reminds me," says Flora as she fills a paper pill cup to the brim with viscous, green glop and hands it to Tecna. "You have to drink this down," she tells Tecna who is wrinkling her nose and looking at it in disgust.

"This smells like turpentine," protests Tecna.

"And I can guarantee that it tastes even worse," Flora assures her, "but there is nothing I can do about it. Just try knocking it back without tasting it."

"Gak! You weren't kidding about the horrible taste, were you, Flora?" gags Tecna turning almost as green as the medicine she just swallowed. "What, by the Tree, is it?"

"One component is to re-establish the flora and fauna you lost in your first stomach, the second is to restore the proper acid balance and the last kills off the carrier virus that you were injected with for we want only to mark The Trix for the moment and not any other Witches," replies Flora.

"So, I still want to know why Musa and I were not told about this mission," says Stella again.

"Yes, and so do I," puts in Musa angrily.

"The simple reasons are because you, Musa," says Bloom, "would have protested our plan and, by the time we settled things with you, we would have lost the window of opportunity."

"Darn right, I would have had a few things to say about it," shouts Musa. "You sent Tecna out on a suicide mission."

"And as for you, Stella," says Bloom, "for as much as I love you and value your loyalty, honesty and fighting skills, I also know well your inability to keep your mouth shut about almost anything. I could not risk the chance that you might blather into the wrong ears."

"Hey, I resent that!" shouts Stella at Bloom with her hands on her hips.

"The whole argument is now academic," states Tecna, "and as far as I am concerned, this time the end justifies the means. It was the logical thing to do to carry off the mission. It's done – so deal with it."

"Oh, I should of known that this is the way Ms Cool-and-Logical would see it," snarls Musa at Tecna.

"Musa, enough!" shouts Bloom and Stella glares at her.

"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" cries Flora. "Can't you all see what we are allowing this to do to us?"

All eyes are on Flora as she continues, "Now, I don't always agree that the end justifies the means nor am I always in accord with the way Bloom sometimes does things but we all agreed that Bloom is our leader and she has always been a good leader so far, so, we should trust her judgement. We are just a hair's breadth away from The Trix declaring our conflict with them a blood feud. You know what that will mean if we don't end the conflict with a quick and decisive victory, don't you, Musa, Stella? It means that there will be a bloodbath involving every Witch and Faerie on Alfea. And it won't end with us. We'll see our descendants carrying on the war with their descendants for generations because the Witches will never, ever stop until they have either defeated us or we them. Is this the legacy we want handed down to our children and grandchildren? So Musa, think things through before going ballistic. Honestly, I think at times that you are taking hothead lessons from Riven. And Stella, for once stop thinking about just yourself and think of the risk and injury that Tecna took for the sake of her mission that may save us all and our children and show her some gratitude."

"I'm sorry," mumbles Stella red and shamefaced and looks at Musa.

"All I can say is that this mission had better have been worth it," states Musa with her arms crossed and still looking peeved.

"I have not tried a passive scan since I got back," says Tecna, "but I can all but guarantee that it was a total success. Stormy and Darcy were tagged as soon as they captured me and Icy got some of my blood on her hands while grabbing me when Stormy shoved me at her."

"That is befitting," snarls Musa. "Faerie blood on Icy's hands is not so far from the truth."

"But another Witch who was with The Trix also was tagged," says Tecna. "Not that I had intended to but it had to happen or else risk giving the mission away to The Trix."

"It is just as well that you tagged her too," says Bloom. "If this strange Witch has allied herself with The Trix then we may have an additional opponent to deal with. We may well want to keep tabs on her movements."

"Tell us what she looks like," says Stella.

"I heard Icy call her 'My Raven Beauty' at one point," replies Tecna, "and I think you would agree with her when you see her. She is indeed beautiful if only in a witchy, bleak-chic sort of way."

"Go on," says Bloom.

"She is human but as tall as one of the smaller Cloud Tower Cat-Witch Guards, has raven hair down to her hips, green eyes and strangely shaped lips which I would describe as blatt or vaulted and she wears black lipstick but only on the upper lip. She wears a skin-tight outfit like a harlequin in black and green with one black and one green glove. She also wears a black gorget but it seems to be only decorative."

"She does not match the description of any Witch I know who attends Cloud Tower," says Stella, "and believe me when I say I know all of them."

"What else can you tell us about her?" inquires Bloom.

"Well, not only is she about as tall as a Cat-Witch Guard but she is blazing fast and I would think almost as strong as one," continues Tecna. "I saw her beat Stormy when she tried to blast her point-blank with a lightning bolt."

"She bested Stormy!" exclaim the others, with their jaws dropping in amazement.

"Not only that but she lifted Stormy off of her feet with one hand, shook her like a rag doll, call her a spoiled brat and a disobedient child and then threatened to give Stormy the paddling of her life if she did not behave and do as she's told," says Tecna.

"Yikes! She is pretty brave to lay a hand on Icy's precious little one like that," exclaims Bloom. "She's lucky that Icy did not make her into ice sculpture. Did you learn her name?"

"Yes," replies Tecna. "She calls herself Shego."

"Shego?" laughs Musa, losing her serious expression.

"What's so funny about that?" asks Bloom, now taking her turn at looking miffed.

"Sorry," says Musa, "but is sounds like a badly mangled version of an expression in my mother tongue which is _xiao gui. _In Alfean it means 'little rascle'."

"Yes, that is funny," agrees Tecna, "but also ominous. I saw her vaporize an Alfeanium duct hood with a single blast of green plasma and tell me that that was using only a quarter of her power. She told me to tell you all that we have to meet with her and The Trix tomorrow at the same place on the Witch side of Magix at the same time and Bloom has to hand over the Dragon Fire to Icy or she will use her power to vaporize us and Alfea College. Bloom, I don't believe for an instant that she is bluffing either," and her large green eyes once again take on that look of absolute terror.

Everyone is standing in shocked silence until Bloom says, "We will keep the appointment and I will hand over the Dragon Fire to Icy."

"What?" exclaims Stella, not wanting to believe what she is hearing from her friend. "Have you forgotten how many lives were lost during the Alfea College War so you could get back and keep the Dragon Fire?"

"Yes, I'm aware of that, Stella," says Bloom, trying to ease Stella's tensions, "But we do not know this new Witch and there are too many lives at stake to call her bluff. Besides, Icy seems not to have learned a lesson from her first attempt to steal the Dragon Fire from me. I have since had a séance with Daphne during which she told me some special things about the Dragon Fire. The Trix are in for a shock."

"What sort of shock?" asks Stella.

"I can't tell any of you that right now," replies Bloom and Stella frowns at her.


	5. You Have Been Warned

**Chapter 5 : You Have Been Warned**

Icy and her sisters take Shego on a tour of the nightlife in Magix but soon everyone is tired so they hop the transport-us back to Cloud Tower.

"Well," says Darcy, stretching and yawning, "I've had it for tonight. I'm off to nightmare land." Then patting her hard, flat stomach she says, "That was quite a feast we had tonight. I'll have to hit the gym tomorrow to burn off this extra fat I've put on."

"What extra fat?" laughs Icy, smiling. "Darcy, you know that you could eat a whole draught lizard and not put on a speck of fat."

"True," says Darcy, smiling back at Icy, "but every girl needs at least one little thing to witch about," and everyone laughs.

"Get out of here," Icy tells her. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Darcy," says Shego as the brunette Witch takes her leave of them.

"I've had it too," says Stormy and then departs without a word more and before anyone can reply.

Icy has stretched out full length on the sofa and is idly running her fingers through her long tassel of blue-white hair and Shego can hardly believe that this beautiful woman before her could be a Witch.

"You're nothing hard to look at yourself, My Raven Beauty," says Icy to her, catching Shego off-guard and causing her to blush deep red. "You are going to have a busy day in the morning because everyone will be wanting to meet the new Witch on the block."

"Thank you," says Shego, still blushing and not knowing what else to say.

"So…" says Icy, making a deft change of subject, "did you have fun tonight in Magix?"

"Yes," says Shego honestly, "but I found Stormy's behaviour shocking. Why do you put up with her being such a brat?"

"You need to understand," explains Icy, "that, although Stormy is physically a young woman, her mental state is that of a child. She has always been somewhat of a child but recently she suffered a storm seizure that knocked her right back to the true mentality of a child. She is now, how can I put it, a woman-child."

"I'm sorry," says Shego, feeling sincere sympathy for the tiny Storm-Witch. "Had I known that I would have gone a bit easier on her."

"She is a spoiled brat," admits Icy, "and I guess Darcy and I are much to blame for spoiling her. She needed to learn the lesson you taught her tonight. But let's get one thing straight. Stormy may be a spoiled brat but she is Darcy's and my spoiled brat so if you dare to again lay a hand on her or threaten her as you did tonight, I will kill you," and Shego feels a cold draught blow up her spine.


	6. O Clever Witch

**Chapter 6 : O You Clever Witch!**

Shego takes but a second to regain her emotional balance yet she manages to keep a straight face. "You think you're such a clever Witch, don't you, Icy," thinks Shego resentfully. "You have been manipulating me since the moment I arrived. You kept this information about Stormy deliberately from me sensing that I would lose my patience with her and give her the disciplining for you she so sorely needs yet allow you to keep your hands clean. And now you want to sucker me into a fight on your turf that you know I can't win because of some trick you have hidden up your sleeve. And what then? Will you hold my defeat up to Stormy and allow her to believe that this is how Mummy Icy protects her precious little one from the big bad lady? It's not going to happen, Icy. I've been a ninja from the time that you were still in little girls' dresses and playing with dollies. I know the sound of a sabre being rattled when I hear it. So, for the moment, I shall be as sweet as honey until I learn all of your strengths and weaknesses and then you and I will have our fight if you think that you're still up to facing me."

Shego looks at Icy with cool, emerald-green eyes and says to her, "I will keep that in mind," which was not the response that Icy had been hoping for. Shego then stretches and yawning says, "It has been a busy day. It is time to hit the hay."

"You will have to sleep on the sofa but it is quite comfortable," replies Icy. "If you will come with me, I will show you the facilities."

Icy leads Shego into a room that lights up as they enter. "This I'm sure you know what it is for," she tells Shego. "It flushes automatically when you are done. The sink functions on a sensor. Touching it lightly once turns it on and again shuts it off. Touching and moving your fingers to the right makes the water colder and to the left makes it hotter. Sliding your fingers up and down controls the force." Icy then magics up a piece of paper and a writing instrument and carefully writes out a few symbols. "This is the word for 'human' in Witchspeak," says Icy. "Stormy thinks it is a big joke to mess up the settings so make sure that the panel above each dispenser displays these symbols before touching the dispense sensor or else you might end up with something like a handful of hot lye and acid which is meant for the lizard-morphs instead of human body lotion. So here are the dispensers for soap, toothbrushes, face cloths, towels, feminine needs… the pictographs here show you what is what. If you need to change the settings, just swipe your hand up or down until the proper symbols appear."

"Whoa! This is lux," exclaims Shego. "You mentioned toothbrushes but not toothpaste."

"It is already on the bristles when dispensed. Just wet the brush and use. When you are finished, everything goes down the disposal here," explains Icy.

"Everything?" asks Shego.

"Yes, everything," replies Icy. "Everything is designed to bio-degrade into paste after use. The paste is gathered up in a recycling facility below Cloud Tower, separated into its components and reused to make new whatevers."

Icy leads Shego to a pedestal. "This is were you can get disposable clothing," she explains. "Stand on the pedestal, select what you want from the touch screen here and touch the dispense sensor. The pedestal will rotate to allow you to be measured so stand with your legs and arms spread fairly far apart so an accurate reading can be made. The clothes are dispensed here. This is a chute to send your re-wearable clothing to the laundry. Just attach one of these clips to each item and send them down. After they're cleaned, they are returned through the same dispenser as the disposable clothing. It takes anywhere between five minutes to half an hour to get them back."

"Taa-daa!" thinks Shego to herself but allows Icy to go on talking.

"Finally," says Icy, "here is the sonic shower. It is much like the dispenser for disposable clothing. Make sure that your feet are on the spots indicated and again hold your arms away from your body, your hands open and, most importantly, your eyes shut. When you touch the activation sensor, you are allowed about ten seconds to get into position and then the pedestal begins to rotate. How many rotations depends on the amount of dirt that needs to be cleaned away. A chime sounds when finished."

"Thank you," says Shego.

"Anything else?" asks Icy, yawning.

"Anything to eat or drink?" asks Shego.

"Oh, yes," says Icy, having been reminded. "The food dispenser is here. Here are meal bars, water, oatmeal and carob drink – hot or cold, and herbal teas. Be sure to take your water from here and not from the sink. The water from the sink is good for washing but you are taking your chances if you drink it."

"Anything else?" asks Icy again and both of them find themselves yawning.

"I think that covers everything," replies Shego.

"Fine," says Icy, "so I'm off to hit the hay – as you put it. Rotten dreams to you and may your worst nightmares come true," she adds with a wide grin and a wink.

"Right back at you," says Shego, grinning back and then Icy leaves her.

Shego heads to the sofa and finds that the temperature in the room has adjusted itself for comfortable night sleeping without a blanket but, still, she removes only her clawed gloves then stretches out to sleep. In the processes of making herself comfortable, her hand reaches under the sofa and she feels something and then hears it roll. "The Tempus Simia" thinks Shego, retrieving the monkey statue. "Lucky for me none of The Trix found it. I will have to find a secure place for it in the morning," and she hides it again under the sofa. Shego finally drifts off to sleep but with one eye open and both ears on high alert.


	7. A Walk About Cloud Tower

**Chapter 7 : A Walk About Cloud Tower**

Shego is up early the next morning before The Trix and takes time only to do some basic warm-up exercises, grab a meal bar and a flask of water from the dispenser, retrieve the Tempus Simia from under the sofa and then head out.

After about fifteen minutes of brisk walking she comes to a balcony overlooking the inner court and, judging from the clutter inside it, it had long ago been abandoned as such. More importantly, there were a number of small statues of gorgons and suchlike affixed along the perimeter wall which were all in various states of neglect and exposure to the elements.

"Perfect," thinks Shego. "There is nothing like hiding something in plain view." Shego uses a short blast of green plasma to soften the stonework enough so she could set the base of the Tempus Simia into it and then she removes the head. She next takes a handful of dust and grime from off the floor and smears it over the Tempus Simia and around its base hiding the place where the statue had been set into the stone. Then, standing back, she gives her handiwork a look over and is satisfied that it blended well enough with the rest of the balcony to pass inspection.

"What to do with the head?" wonders Shego. She smiles sardonically to herself for knowing something that not even Monkey Fist for all his study and research ever stumbled upon. The head of the Tempus Simia could be removed and replaced at will. It did not require all this business about having to take it to the Monkey Temple and that it had to be placed upon the body precisely at noon. It was all a bit of showmanship and razzle-dazzle for the ignorant populace probably devised by the temple monks to create an air of mystery when they re-affixed the head while bathed in the sunlight of the high sun and also to hide the secret that the power of the Tempus Simia could be invoked by anyone who knew what she was doing.

After another fifteen minutes of walking, Shego finds a small recess in which stands a statue of a dragon with a deer-like animal within the grip of its taloned foot and a look of defiance and scorn for anyone or anything daring to wrest its prize from it. Shego grabs one of the stone blocks just inside the recess and removes it from the wall. She vaporizes half of it with green plasma, places the monkey noggin into the hiding place she has just created, and then replaces the stone block.

"Well," thinks Shego. "This may take away my option for a quick escape back to Middleton but at least the Tempus Simia has gone unnoticed by The Trix and locked away there was little chance they would find it and use it to transport themselves to who knows where and cause who knows what sort of mischief.

Shego sits down on a bench in front of the recess and eats the meal bar and washes it down with water. Whatever was in it was rather bland tasting to Shego but it sure hit the spot and made her feel wide awake and bristling with energy.

Shego opens her leg pouch that besides holding a suicide capsule also contained a field first aid kit, a small dagger, a nail file, a tube of black lipstick and a sweatband which she removes and places on her head. "Now, to do some real running and work up a sweat so I can tell The Trix a convincing story when I get back," she says to herself.


	8. Breakfast Time

**Chapter 8 : Breakfast Time**

(Revised and Extended Chapter)

After about half an hour of flat-out running Shego reaches the door to The Trix' dorm and, checking that she is sweaty and smelly enough to convince anyone that she has been out on a hard exercise run, she knocks on the door and then lets herself in.

Upon entering the dorm, Shego finds The Trix up and stretching. Shego admires the beautiful nightgowns they are wearing and how the semi-transparent material shows off their well developed and firm abs and glutes. "Man!" remarks Shego silently. "They may be featherweights but these babes are ripped! They must have some super diet and work-out regime to get that way. No way can this be done with just hocus-pocus. I am going to have to find out their secrets if I do nothing else while here."

"Where have you been?" asks Icy, breaking Shego's train of thought.

"I went out for an early morning jog," Shego tells her.

"You should have waited to go out with Darcy or me," replies Icy, her voice indicating concern rather than accusation.

"Yes," adds Darcy, "there are lots of nasty creatures that lurk about the corridors of Cloud Tower and many of them would just love to have a tender young Witch for breakfast – and I don't mean as company," and Icy nods.

Stormy looks about to add her two bits but, still smarting from the humiliation Shego dealt her the night before, she elects to remain silent but fixes Shego with a look that reads, "Yeah, and too bad for me you didn't run into one of them."

"I shall be setting out breakfast shortly and about noon hour there is a reception being held for you in the cafeteria," Icy tells Shego.

"Is there time to freshen up before breakfast?" asks Shego.

"Yes, plenty of time," Icy tells her. "I have yet to change and do a few things before getting breakfast ready."

Shego enters the bathroom, sheds her tunic and gets ready to enter the sonic shower but stops. "I guess I don't want to be wearing a smelly tunic to a reception in my honour and I have the feeling that disposable clothing would not be appropriate," she thinks.

Shego looks askance at the "laundry shoot" and wonders if she should risk sending down her Earth fabric clothing. She decides to first test it out on something she figures she can do without before risking sending down her tunic. She takes her sweat band, attaches a clip to it and sends it down and after about two minutes it comes back through the dispenser all clean, freshened and pressed and not having suffered in the least in the process. "Well, talk about quick service!" smiles Shego. She then attaches a clip to her tunic and sends it down the shoot.

The sonic shower proves to be a wonderful experience which leaves Shego feeling that she has been deep cleaned right down to the very depths of her pores. Her tunic is in the dispenser waiting for her – again as clean, fresh and well pressed as one could want. She dresses, puts on her boots and exits.

Upon exiting, Shego finds that The Trix have changed into disposable clothing. Icy has let down her hair so it flows over her arms and nearly drags on the floor and she smells like an oyster if nothing else and Shego wrinkles her nose.

"It is a little something used by the kitty-cats that I stumbled upon, " says Icy, blushing. "They use it on their fur to keep it healthy and shiny and drink it to take care of fur balls. I've discovered that it does wonders in keeping human skin firm and toned and it really puts a radiant lustre into one's hair," and then turns her head so her hair flows like a river of silver-white water that catches and reflects the light. "I leave it do its thing for about an hour and then a spin in the sonic shower takes away the smell but leaves the benefits," she smiles.

"Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! You're beautiful," Darcy says to Icy with a wink and a smile. "But do you think we could dispense with the chit-chat for a bit and get down to eating breakfast? I'm famished!"

Icy makes a swiping motion at a spot on the wall where Shego figures that a sensor of some sort is hidden. A section of the floor lifts and slides back revealing a recessed area with a wooden bench running along the perimeter upon which there are several cushions and in the centre is a low table with several food items spread out upon it.

"Pick a spot," Icy says to Shego, holding her hand out to the bench.

"Thank you," replies Shego, and steps down into the recess. Stormy watches where Shego seats herself and goes for a spot that is as far from her as she can manage and is glad that Icy and Darcy are seated between Shego and herself.

Shego is about to reach for what looks like some pita bread but quickly notices that both Darcy and Stormy are holding back as if waiting so Shego also holds back. Icy takes something from one of the many platters and that seems to be a sign to the others that they too may partake of the food. Icy takes a carafe and pours a thick, brown beverage into the goblet in front of Shego.

"Chocolate milk?" asks Shego, creasing her brow in question.

"No," replies Icy. "You will not find milk or milk products anywhere on Alfea. This is a protein beverage made from several types of nuts and carob beans that have been pulverized and made into a suspension in water.

Shego takes a sip and is delighted to find that it has a rich, chocolaty taste and a silky texture. "What else is there to be had?" she asks.

"There is whole wheat pita bread, wild honey, breakfast cakes and warm vegetable broth to dunk them in," says Icy pointing out the items on the table.

Shego notices that Icy failed to mention the contents of two bowls. "What are in these she asks them."

"Its Witch food," says Darcy with a smile and even her two sisters are giggling. "Do you think that you are Witch enough to try it?"

"I try to keep an open mind," says Shego. "I'm willing to try almost anything once."

"Having said that, Shego," says Darcy, "you will have to eat some of them once I tell you what they are and there is no wiggling out of it," and she and her two sisters are looking at each other with their tongues between their teeth and smiling.

"Okay," says Darcy, "here you go. The first bowl contains Zing-Zoom nymphs," and Icy's translation spell struggles to find a Terran equivalent but Shego's mind is supplied with an image of a seriously ugly dragonfly-like insect what-kick-butt. "In the second," grins Darcy, "are boiled Gnaw-Chomps," and again Shego's mind is supplied with an image of a seriously ugly termite-like insect what-kick-butt," with an added handful of wasp larvae for good measure."

"Sounds delish," says Shego wondering what she has gotten herself into but refusing now to back down.

"The first step," says Darcy, expertly splitting a palm sized pita bread, "is to spread some honey on one of the two pieces of bread then sprinkle some of the insects on it. Finally, you roll it up thus," she instructs Shego, rolling the pita into a compact tube resembling a small burrito and then popping it into her mouth. "Your turn."

Shego splits the pita bread easily enough but, when she puts honey on it, it dribbles onto her hand making a gooey mess.

"No, no," says Darcy, "that's way too much! You only want enough to keep the insects from falling off the bread," then picking up the other half she makes another buggy burrito. "Open up," she tells Shego and pops the burrito into her mouth. "Now chew."

Shego chews and while chewing a strange image forms in her mind. She is a giant, green and black frog sitting on a huge lily pad happily snagging dragonflies out of the air with her long, sticky tongue. But wait! These are not dragonflies but flying dragons and she finds them hot and fiery but tasty.

"Well, Darcy," says Shego looking directly at the brunette Witch, "what do you want me to say now: 'glug' or 'ribbit'?" and her sisters point their fingers at her and laugh.

"She's caught you cold, Darcy," says Icy. "Ante up," and Darcy's expression is of one caught so off-guard and embarrassed that even Shego has to laugh.

"How did you know it was I?" asks Darcy, still blushing.

"It was just a matter of logical deduction," says Shego, shrugging. "I know what Stormy's powers are and illusions don't strike me as being Icy's thing so that leaves only you."

"So, what do you think of buggy burritos?" asks Darcy.

"It is not something you could order at home from Bueno Nacho," replies Shego, "but I could get used to them. They taste somewhat nutty and earthy with a sweet aftertaste from the honey."

"I would guess that you already are," says Darcy with a wicked grin, "judging from the way you were wolfing them down with relish on the pizza we had last evening," then Shego's eyes do bug out making her look like a green and black frog and The Trix split their sides laughing.

The laughter seems to have dissolved what remained of Stormy's bad humour and with a quizzical look at Shego she asks her, "You taste sweet?"

"Well," Shego replies to her, "I have bitten my tongue on occasion but I didn't taste sweet at all."

"Ha-ha," says Icy sarcastically, "you know well what she was asking. So, can you detect what the Faeries call 'sweet'?"

"Yes," replies Shego. "Why do you ask?"

"We can't," says Icy. "It seems to be something unique to Faeries."

"Yet you eat honey," points out Shego.

"Yes," admits Icy, "but it is for its restorative properties. We even like to have some bees and bee larvae in with it."

"What is it with you Witches and devouring insects?" Shego asks The Trix. "Don't you enjoy a nice, thick steak now and then?" and Darcy looks shocked and Stormy gasps placing both hands over her heart.

Icy, however, has her head tilted to one side as if listening in on some private radio station. "I believe that what Shego is referring to," she tells Darcy and Stormy, "is a slab of animal meat prepared for consumption and not a sharpened stake of wood to be driven through our hearts or to tie us to to be burned alive," and her sisters again put their hands to their hearts but this time with a sigh of relief.

"In a word, 'no'," says Icy. "There are no game animals on Alfea and the flesh of what there is will kill you, smells too rank to eat or is so tough that you could boil it for a year and still think that you are eating boot leather. The Faeries are strict vegetarians who can eat and derive nourishment from the toughest of grasses and even plants that are so poisonous that it would be like committing suicide for any Witch trying to eat them. So, if you visit the Faerie side of Magix, be extremely careful about eating anything there. In fact, I would recommend that you eat nothing that comes from their side or you might just wind up dead. We Witches, however, need a good deal of concentrated protein in our diet to survive and, luckily for us, most insects on Alfea are edible and satisfy our needs."

"The kitty-cats are the only ones able to eat any of the animals here," continues Darcy, "and for about a month each year they go out on a hunting party to do just that. Thankfully, they do not bring any of their kills back with them to Cloud Tower but still you don't want to stand down wind from any of them for a month after they have been out on a meat eating binge."

"Why not?" asks Shego. "I thought that cats were meticulous about keeping their fur clean."

"It's not their fur you have to worry about," says Darcy.

"Braaaaaap!" says Stormy and The Trix all hold their noses with one hand while using the other to fan away what must be obnoxious fumes.

"Oh!" says Shego, making a face and again The Trix are nearly rolling on the floor laughing. "Well," thinks Shego somewhat angrily, "I'm glad to see that I'm keeping you three amused."


	9. The Reception

**Chapter 9 : The Reception**

Breakfast having come to an end and everyone sated, Shego and The Trix exit the sunken dining room to the main floor. Icy swipes at the sensor on the wall and the floor closes over once again hiding the recess below. "The house-bots take care of cleaning up and preparing for the next meal," Icy explains to Shego, obviously proud of her penthouse apartment and loving to brag about all its many conveniences to her guests.

The Trix stretch and yawn in unison and then stretch themselves out on the various couches and reclining mats about the apartment. Shego goes to the remaining reclining mat but is soon bored just stretching out on it and doing nothing. She picks up a magazine from a nearby coffee table and opens it only to find that it is in a language she does not understand. "This must be written in Witchspeak," she thinks, seeing repeats of the few characters that Icy wrote out for her when showing her the "facilities". Well, she may not understand the language, but, the pictures plug the same old messages: "Wear haute couture from Witchy-Poo Fashions and be the beautiful Witch who catches the handsome Warlock of her dreams", "Cover-Witch cosmetics will transform you into the bewitching young Witch who catches the handsome Warlock of her dreams", "Hanna Henna is the choice of discerning Witches for enchanting hand designs that are guaranteed to catch the eye of the handsome Warlock of her dreams" and finally (Taaa-daaa), "Show your love to the handsome Warlock of your dreams by serving him Spider's gourmet buggy broth tonight". "Well, well," thinks Shego, "it would seem that young Witches in this dimension are just as man-crazy as any young women from my own – despite initial impressions."

At one point, Shego must have drifted off to sleep, for, the next thing she feels is Icy's hand on her shoulder to rouse her and Icy telling her that it is now time to make their way to the reception. Shego rouses herself to see that The Trix have all changed out of the disposable dresses of this morning.

Icy is wearing a sky-blue, knee-length dress with gold stitching about the hemlines of the sleeves which end at the elbow, the neckline and the bottom. She has on a pair of matching blue, low-heeled shoes also with a simple gold design stitched into them. She has put on the minimum of pale-pink foundation, a touch of natural coloured lipstick and amethyst highlighter along the edges of her ears from the tip of the tops to just short of the earlobes. The final accessories are a gold mesh choker with a single large blue ice diamond in the centre and a matching pair of pendant blue ice diamond earrings mounted in gold.

Darcy is wearing a faun-coloured, pleated, knee-length Greek goddess style dress with royal-blue beadwork. Like Icy, her face is made up with the minimum of medium-pale foundation, a touch of lipstick and some natural coloured blush along the lines of her cheekbones. Her waist-length, warm brown and amber streaked hair she has tied back with a barrette which features two large indigo-blue flight feathers set in an inverted "V" mounted in silver. On her ears she is wearing a pair of silver earrings which terminate in a small fan made up of multicoloured down feathers. On her feet are sandals with greaves up to her knees.

Stormy is dressed in a simple dark mauve dress with silver trim. The hemline of her dress comes down to her knees and the modest yoke is above the bust line. The sleeves are short and puffy and the low-heeled shoes she has on match the colour of her dress. Unlike her sisters, Stormy has naturally red lips and rosy cheeks so she requires no additional makeup. Add to this the soft blue lights in her eyes and she is breathtaking.

Shego looks at the gorgeous attire of The Trix and feels awkward about wearing a skin-tight bodysuit to what is obviously going to be a formal event but The Trix seem to take no notice of it. Soon they are all strolling leisurely down the hallways to the cafeteria. Along the way, Icy points out to Shego all the spots of interest, "Here is the auditorium, here is Miss Griffin's private boardroom where she meets with members of the High Counsel of the Sisterhood of Witches and other suchlike dignitaries, Miss Griffin's quarters are just around the corner," and finally, "Here is a bust of Lady Shakira who was the Headmistress of Cloud Tower before Miss Griffin," she tells Shego with a note of sadness in her voice.

When they arrive at the cafeteria and enter, Shego finds herself standing there for a long moment all a-gawk and a-gah. "If this is a cafeteria," she thinks, "I wonder what they call a five-star restaurant!" This is far from the cafeterias she is familiar with with their stackable tables, simple chairs, paper flatware and cups and plastic cutlery. This place is total lux with its deep carpet, carved wooden tables with expensive linen table cloths with ornate embroidery along their borders, fine china flatware, ornate silver cutlery and crystal goblets. The only thing that could betray it as a cafeteria is the steam table at the far end but even it was made of expensive-looking, highly polished carved wood with keepers made probably of black Alfeanium that blended unobtrusively with the dark colour of the wood.

"We'll be sitting at the High Table," Icy whispers quietly to Shego.

"Oh!" says Shego and proceeds to make her way directly to the High Table but Icy holds her back.

"No!" whispers Icy somewhat urgently to her. "We sit at the back and wait for the Mistress of Ceremonies to summon us to the High Table. It is considered bad manners just to go up and seat yourself," and Shego looks at her apologetically. "And what if you are wrong and the Mistress of Ceremonies tells you that you have to leave the High Table and sends you crawling back to sit among the common folk? It would be pretty embarrassing, wouldn't it?"

"Besides," whispers Darcy with a nasty look in her eyes, "if you are summoned to sit at the High Table by the Mistress of Ceremonies, then you can walk there through the crowd with your head held high and really sock it to all those wannabes who think they're all that."

The guests continue to wander in – mostly in groups of three – and all are wearing gorgeous haute couture similar to The Trix and again Shego feels self-conscious about her bodysuit. Many look directly at her but seem to take no notice as if forewarned that for this reception black and green, skin-tight bodysuits are the in thing and anyone daring to say anything disparaging about them does so at her own risk and peril.

Shego's attention drifts away from clothes as more guests enter the cafeteria and she is amazed at the many shapes and sizes from dwarves to two metre giants, (yet none either fat or scrawny), and skin colours that cover the whole spectrum of the possible. A flash of green reflected from the chandeliers attracts her attention to a Witch standing a little ways away from her. She is average height, somewhat comely but humanoid rather than human. This Witch is flat-chested with green scaly skin and webs between her fingers. She has a fine muzzle rather than a mouth from which occasionally flicks a long, red and forked tongue and she has vertically slit eyes which are red tinged with gold. Her sisters standing beside her are almost clones of her and all are wearing clothes that are reminiscent of blue seas and sea foam. Then one of them turns around and Shego sees her long, leathery tail!

"That is Rusulka and the other two of her trix," whispers Stormy, having noticed Shego's interest in the green-skinned trio.

"She is the Water-Witch Icy was telling me about, isn't she?" asks Shego and Stormy nods in confirmation. "Where are the Cat-Witches?" she asks.

"Oh, you can be sure that they are somewhere close by, especially because we are also here," replies Stormy, "but they like to keep themselves out of sight. Just try any monkeyshines, though, and you'll see how fast you'll be getting a painful introduction to the whole litter."

"Hey! I resent that," says a simian-looking Witch with brown fur, dark-brown eyes and heavy eyebrows.

"Ney-ah!" mouths Stormy at her and, although the Simian-Witch says not a word in reply, Shego is quick to pick up on the furtive and insulting gesture she makes at Stormy with her tail and then turning her back to them she walks deeper into the crowd.

"Who is she?" asks Shego.

"Bad news," replies Stormy, her face wearing her patented bitchy expression. Then Stormy turns her attention to one of the other guests.

Everyone continues to wait and Shego wonders when food will be served, surprised that there are no hors d'oeuvres, (which she secretly likes to call "nibblements"), or before meal drinks are being offered.

Suddenly, the room is hushed as three figures approach the High Table. "That's Miss Griffin in the middle and the other two are Professor Ediltrude and Professor Zarathustra who are the second and third members of her trix," whispers Icy. "Quiet now, we should be summoned to the High Table very soon."

"Sister Witches," begins Miss Griffin in a mature, mezzo voice, "we are gathered here at this reception to welcome and receive Shego of Middleton of the Planet Terra who has come to Alfea and to our dimension to be a student at Cloud Tower…" and Shego's eyes go wide, Darcy and Icy's expressions turn into ones of absolute shock and Stormy looks about ready to scream."

"No way!" protests Stormy in a loud whisper.

"Stormy, shut up!" growls Icy.

"But…," Stormy continues to protest.

"Stormy, I told you to shut up. Now-shut-your-mouth or do I have Darcy tranquillize you?" snarls Icy, rapidly losing patience with her hot-headed sister and Stormy glowers at Shego and her sisters, her eyes full of undisguised rage.

"I had nothing to do with it!" whispers Shego to The Trix, looking as if she is expecting to be attacked by a swarm of angry hornets who have had their nest disturbed.

"I believe you, Shego," replies Icy but still with a note of resentment in her voice. "It's Griffin and her trix. They're up to something and you and we have just been thrown into the thick of it," and her sisters are nodding in agreement and looking royally peeved.

The attention of Shego and The Trix returns to the High Table just in time to hear Miss Griffin pronounce, "… Shego, I summon you to the High Table and also your sponsors, Icy, Darcy and Stormy.

The four advance to the High Table: Shego walking in what she hopes is the appropriate manner. Icy is near by her trying to school her face into a neutral expression. Darcy is walking with her head held high and with a smirk on her lips – obviously enjoying "socking it" to the crowd – but Stormy is walking as if she feels the heat of everyone's gaze burning into her back.

When everyone is in her place, Miss Griffin announces, "The Peace and Blessings of the Goddess. Enjoy your meal," then all get up in a predetermined fashion to serve themselves from the steam table.

Shego is about to do the same when Icy tells her to remain seated. "Those of us at the High Table get to select from a special menu and have our food brought to us."

Shego picks up what Icy indicates to her to be her copy of the menu and again finds it written in a language she cannot read. "I don't understand this at all!" she whispers to Icy. Icy makes a gesture over the menu and suddenly it is in English.

"I would suggest item number three," says Icy.

"Black scorpion with an avocado and key lime sauce?" asks Shego.

"Yes, it's haute cuisine here," says Icy. "You like lobster, don't you," she asks and Shego nods. "Just think of scorpion as a land lobster with a stinger and bad attitude.

"Isn't scorpion poisonous?" asks Shego concerned.

"It would be if you cooked them with the stinger and poison gland intact," explains Icy, "but the chefs here have been trained and licensed to remove the stingers and poison glands and prepare the scorpions in a manner that won't kill you. That is why scorpion is considered haute cuisine. I shall be having the same."

When her meal arrives, Shego finds that the scorpion has been plated with a variety of sculptured vegetables and greens. The scorpion is split down the back and the meat partially lifted out of its shell. Beside her is set a dessert sized bowl filled with a thick, green sauce which must contain avocado and key lime.

"Take the two-pronged fork beside you, push it through the thickest part of the tail meat then holding the thorax firmly with your other hand, twist and pull," explains Professor Zarathustra who is sitting at Shego's other side. "If done correctly, the meat will come out cleanly. Then dip it into the sauce and nibble at it. The cracker at the top of your plate is for breaking the claws and then you remove the meat with the same fork. Don't bother with the small legs and the thorax. There is nothing there worth eating."

Shego follows Professor Zarathustra's instructions and the tail meat comes neatly out of the shell. Then she dips it into the sauce and takes a careful nibble expecting it to be incredibly sour. She is pleasantly surprised, though, when she finds the scorpion meat is sweet and so also the sauce. "There is honey in this!" thinks Shego delighted and then remembers Icy telling her that Witches eat honey but quietly pushes aside the thought that there may also be bees and bee larvae in the mix.

Shego observes the guests as they eat their meals and remarks that she can only hear the noise of cutlery and muted conversations. Then, she looks into a dark corner and believes she sees two disembodied vertically slit, golden eyes looking her way. But before she can give it any more thought, she is distracted when Professor Zarathustra asks her a question and then comes dessert which consists of platters of fruit, berries, nuts and… cheese?

"I thought that there are no dairy products on Alfea," Shego remarks to Icy.

"That's right," replies Icy. "This is made from coagulated and fermented vegetable sap something like tofu but there are many more plants on Alfea from which it can be made. Try this one. It is made from a plant similar to a rose."

Within another hour, the meal has concluded and the guests of the High Table file down and make a line at the exit. Miss Griffin opens the door ceremoniously and says, "Depart now in Peace."

As the guest file out, all exchange kisses with those of the High Table. Everyone is pleasant enough with Shego but when it comes to exchanges with The Trix many wear the expression of someone being forced to put her mouth against three warm gobbets of tainted meat. Then come Rusulka and her trix and Shego learns that with them one just touches each other cheek to cheek. Lastly, Shego meets a Witch with the face of a white tiger and, to Shego's surprise, she offers her hand-paw to Shego to be shook. "Nice to meet you," she purrs but then squeezes Shego's hand so hard that, had Shego been any other woman, she would have been on her knees begging to have her hand released. Shego, however, grips the Tiger-Morph Witch's hand-paw in a similar grip and while her eyes go wide in surprise Shego says to her, "Just what I like. A nice, warm and friendly handshake!" Finally, she too departs.

"I am truly pleased to welcome you to Cloud Tower as a new student. You shall be summoned next week to sit placement exams," says Miss Griffin to Shego who is looking at her confused and Icy looking like she could chew the silverware into musket balls and spit them through Miss Griffin's back.


	10. The Grudge

**Chapter 10 : The Grudge**

During the walk back to The Trix apartment the air is so thick with anger that one could cut it out of the air with a knife and serve it on a platter. Once inside, Darcy takes advantage of the first excuse she can find to go to her room or somewhere else in the apartment. Stormy still looks as if she wants to debate the issue but a cold look from Icy brings that quickly to a halt and she too departs to somewhere else leaving Icy and Shego in the room alone.

Icy is still looking enraged and every once in a while she glowers Shego's way until Shego, growing tired of this, decides to take the bull by the horns.

"What went down in the cafeteria?" Shego asks her. "It had definitely to do with me so please spill it."

"Shego, I am really glad that you will be a student here at Cloud Tower, I really am, but this just shoves a twisting knife into an old wound," Icy begins to explain.

"I am not really from Alfea," says Icy. "I was brought here from Terra when I was about fourteen – a couple of months after my mother was killed by witch hunters."

"I'm sorry to hear that," says Shego, with feelings of sincere sadness for Icy.

"Thank you," says Icy, "that is kind of you to say so," and then it is Shego's turn to give Icy a double take when she comes to realize that her lips are in perfect sync with the words she is hearing and her voice has become an even richer mezzo.

"You speak English?!" asks Shego, shocked.

"Yes," says Icy. "I am Terran just as you are but maybe from a different timeline and most likely a different dimension. My father was English and my mother was Italian. I grew up speaking both languages. I've disabled the interpreter spell so we may have a private conversation without Darcy and Stormy eavesdropping. What you are now hearing is my real voice."

"Why is it that Darcy and Stormy do not speak English if they are your sisters?" asks Shego, confused.

"Darcy and Stormy are not my sibling sisters," says Icy. "We are related but I am more like a great aunt to them. Darcy and Stormy are actual sibling sisters who were born and grew up on a planet called New Witch Haven and their first language is a dialect of Gaelic that is spoken there," and Shego looks at her more confused than ever. "The how and wherefore is difficult to explain in simple terms and we are drifting off topic. Let's just say that the longer you stay on Alfea, the more accustomed you will become to such paradoxes."

"When I was brought to Alfea," continues Icy, "I was barely alive – plagued with malnutrition, intestinal worms, and burning up with fever because of an infected wound on my back from a musket ball that nearly killed me outright. Lady Shakira, who was then the Headmistress of Cloud Tower, took a liking to me and perhaps out of sympathy she gave me a room in her quarters."

"A Witch showing sympathy?" questions Shego.

"Yes, we have feelings just like anyone else and we can be moved to tears and feel sympathy, replies Icy. "I think you have been listening to too much superstitious talk about Witches and most of what has been said about us is malicious and dead wrong."

"Anyway," says Icy, "while I am convalescing, Lady Shakira and I really get to know each other, and, she is so impressed by my level of knowledge and intelligence that she decides that she herself would continue my education. So under her tutelage, I acquire the equivalent of two years of college. Then during my second year at Cloud Tower, Lady Shakira dies and Miss Griffin takes over as Headmistress. The first thing Miss Griffin does as the new Headmistress is to kick me out of my room and send me to one of the student dorms that I had to share with two other girls. The student dorms are so cramped and uncomfortable that the standing joke is that even the rats are hunchbacked and that one could not stick out her tongue without it going into her roommate's ear," and Shego lets out a short burst of laughter.

"Well, yes," laughs Icy without joy, "it's funny now in the retelling but not so funny when I was in the thick of it. Then, as if to add insult to injury, when I reach the age when I could enter Cloud Tower as a student, Miss Griffin refuses to recognise that I have accumulated two years of college and allow me to advance to the third year saying that there is no record that supports my claim. Perhaps Lady Shakira didn't keep a record believing that she would be around long enough to see to my education completed but that is atypical of a Witch not to keep a record of such events and I guess that now no one will ever really know. Personally, I believe that Miss Griffin has my record from Lady Shakira but refuses to believe that someone so young could have attained such a level of education. I even suggest to her that she allow me to sit an exam that would prove to her that my claim is just not an adolescent boast, but, she would hear none of it."

"That would tick anyone off," Shego tells her. "So, what did you do?"

"I have to redo my first two years but the professors do not give me any trouble for skipping classes so long as I hand in assignments and sit and pass exams which I do easily. Meanwhile, I spend a lot of time in the restricted book vaults doing my own research. Normally, no one gets to access them but Lady Shakira told me all the keys and back doors into them so I take full advantage of that to get away from people when they prove to be too much. I think that Miss Griffin knows that I am hiding out there but, so long as I am not doing any damage, causing her any mischief or causing her to hear complaints from the professors about my absence or grades, she is content to leave me be."

Icy pauses for a moment expecting Shego to say something but, when Shego offers no comment, she continues, "While I am in the restricted book vaults, I rediscover the volumes on the Dragon Fire that were believed to have been lost millennia ago. Through my reading of these books, I learn that I am a direct descendant of Ardala who was the last guardian of the Dragon Fire and by rights I am next in line to receive it – but I haven't. It is during this time that I discover my own powers over ice and snow. When people ask where my powers come from, I tell them they come from dead planets. In truth, I don't know how I got them but the story of dead planets sticks so I just let it be. Anyway, I am in my last year at Cloud Tower when this Faerie named Bloom shows up at Alfea College with the Dragon Fire and no real idea about what she possesses. At first, I am nice about asking her to surrender the Dragon Fire but she refuses which sparks a fight between us. But then the fight escalates. First it is Bloom and her pathetic groupies, Tecna, Flora, Musa and Stella, who call themselves The Winx Club. Then every screaming banshee attending Alfea College gets into it and a full blown war breaks out. Well, unlike what the Faeries will tell you, this war drags out for months with each side using every trick and or strategy to beat the other. The Faeries call out to the Heroes of Red Fountain to come to their aid so we call up the Army of Decay to fight on ours. Then Miss Griffin and about thirty other witches side with the Faeries against us which decided the battle in their favour. We are defeated and then have to spend time in a prison called Light Haven. After that, Darcy, Stormy and I are prisoners of Cloud Tower for a time and Miss Griffin forces us to repeat our last year as punishment. It is during that time that Stormy suffers a storm seizure that knocks her right back to the mentality of an infant from which she has now progressed to that of an eight-year old. It is shortly after that and for no explanation that we are assigned this luxury apartment."

Icy pauses once again in her account without getting a response from Shego, who having suffered through and endured many a bitter and endless rant from Dr. Drakken, has learned when it is best to keep silent and let the speaker talk herself out rather than make a comment that could give her steam to continue her rant all night. "So, Shego," says Icy in conclusion, "while I am glad to see you admitted to Cloud Tower, I am also angered that Miss Griffin is offering you a chance to prove yourself which by rights I should have been offered but never was. So, forgive me for not jumping up and down in ecstatic joy at this moment," and Shego nods her head in understanding.


	11. Witches, Faeries and Dragon Fire

**Chapter 11 : Witches, Faeries and Dragon Fire**

On the Faerie side of Magix and before the entrance to the Transportus to the Witch side of the city stands a group of five individuals cloaked in heavy cowls that disguise their curvaceous figures and hide their faces in their large hoods.

"Okay," says Bloom with the air of one in command, "this all goes down according to plan and I want none of you taking any independent action we haven't discussed. Is that understood?"

"Yeah, we've got it," grumbles Stella, "but I don't see why we can't just fly there instead of taking the Transportus and why we have to wear these heavy and unfashionable cowls and force our wings into this cramped position down our sides. It will take a week at the chiropractor's just to rub the knots out of my back."

"Oh, quit your grousing, Stella," replies Musa impatiently. "If you would shed those gaudy, oversized flappers of yours and grow a pair of wings that are more practical and functional then you wouldn't be experiencing such a hard time with them."

"Hey!" retorts Stella. "These wings are the latest fashion on Solaria, and, it cost me a bundle to grow them."

"Well..." begins Musa, preparing a snappy comeback, "I'd…."

"Ahem," says Bloom and the argument skids to a halt.

On the Witch side of Magix, Shego and The Trix are dining together at the same outdoor establishment where they ate dinner the night before. The air about The Trix is still thick with anger. Shego is eating her meal without deriving any pleasure from it and not caring at this moment that it may be gourmet buggy broth from_ The Spider's Web Eatery _or a grande sized chimerito from Bueno Nacho. It is only to stop the pangs of hunger in her stomach and realizing that she needs to eat at least something to maintain her strength that she is eating anything at all. Meanwhile, Shego and The Trix are scouring the skies for the expected arrival of the Winx Club.

"Maybe they didn't take my threat seriously after all," Shego begins to think after fifteen minutes have elapsed past the appointed rendezvous hour and the Winx Club Faeries have yet to put in an appearance. "Perhaps it is best for them that they do pull a no-show tonight. Judging from the treatment Tecna received at the hands of Stormy, Darcy and Icy last night and their mood tonight things could get very unpleasant for them very quickly."

Shego drops her line of sight from the skies to directly in front of her and nearly jumps when she sees a lone figure dressed in a cowl with a hood so large that she can only make out part of the wearer's face standing only a little ways from her. The Trix, hearing a startled gasp from Shego, turn their heads to see the strange figure. This, it seems, is what the stranger is waiting for and undoing a cord about her waist allows the cowl to fall.

"Tecna," says Icy in a voice sounding like dry-ice boiling and steaming in the warm air.

Shego recognises the purple-haired, green-eyed Faerie from the night before. Tonight, however, Tecna is not wearing leotards but a body suit resembling Kim's body armour in black with metal – possibly Alfeanium – reinforcements over the breast, arms, pelvis, thighs and down the back.

"Where are the others?" demands Icy of the Faerie of Technology.

"They are here," replies Tecna in a voice that surprises Shego who was expecting to hear a voice from the Cyborg Faerie that was mechanical with a cold, sharp edge to it.

Then another figure comes to stand behind and just to the right of Tecna and when she drops her cowl, Shego sees a blonde Faerie who seems to radiate warmth and sunshine.

"Stella," whispers Stormy to Shego.

Then a third Faerie takes up position just a ways and to the left of Tecna and a fourth takes up position just behind and to the left of her. When the third drops her cowl, Shego is face-to-face with an oriental looking Faerie with short pigtails wearing body armour similar to Tecna's and the look of one who is obviously the scrapper among them. Her eyes make brief contact with Darcy's who hisses and then bites down hard on her teeth so for a moment the side of her jaw bulges. "Musa," thinks Shego having heard a long and bitter account from Darcy of their feud over the possession of some guy named Riven.

The fourth drops her cowl and she is a Faerie with gold and brown hair whose clothing appears to be made from leaves and feathers. As her cowl drops, it creates a breeze that invades Shego's nose with the scent of earth and primordial forests and then penetrates even deeper into her to steal her thoughts and emotions.

"Flora," thinks Shego. "So our line-up is reason, spontaneity, aggression and peace – a pretty impressive combination and balance."

A long minute seems to pass while the two groups just stand there facing each other. Finally, Icy breaks the silence. "Where is Bloom?" she demands and then a fifth figure walks slowly and stately down the open "V" created by the other four and forms its apex. When she lets drop her cowl Shego gasps at the sight of this redheaded beauty who, despite her pixie-face and enormous blue eyes, radiates confidence and commitment. "Leadership," springs immediately to Shego's mind.

"Well, Bloom, so nice of you to show up," says Icy with almost a sneer. "Are you ready to hand over the Dragon Fire to me?"

"Yes," replies Bloom in a defiant voice, even though she appears to be facing defeat. Then Shego realizes that before her stands not a whimsy-flimsy, little girl nor a preppy, adolescent cheerleader but a young woman who has already seen much of life's hardships and has become battle-hardened from years of conflict.

"If she possesses even half the power Icy says she has," thinks Shego, "there is no doubt about how she outclasses The Trix at every encounter and sends them packing with their tails between their legs. It's no wonder The Trix have such fear of her." Shego begins to regret having made a deal with The Trix to help them crush the Winx and toys with the idea that perhaps she could persuade The Trix to swap redheads – Bloom for Kim. Now, that she'd like!

Bloom moves a little to the fore and The Trix form a triangle around her, and lifting up their arms they chant:

Come, O Crystals of Whisperia  
Great magic of our kin  
Reach into this girl and  
Take her power from within!

As The Trix chant, three crystals form within the open-cupped palms of their hands. Then Bloom is lifted from her feet and her back is arched backwards and a red fire bursts from out of her chest to be sucked up by the crystals that take on an eerie glow. Then the fire reaches its end and Bloom is released to fall hard to the ground.

"We've done it!" crow The Trix. "The Dragon Fire is ours!"

Darcy and Icy break the triangle and make as if to depart. "You may take Bloom and leave," Icy says to the Winx over her shoulder, "we have from her what we want."

"What?" screams Stormy, outraged. "You are not going to finish her off? She's weak! She's powerless! Kill her! Kill her now!" and aims a kick that hits Bloom in the arm.

"Stormy! Enough!" yells Icy grabbing Stormy by her wrist and trying to drag her away. But Stormy sends a shock of electricity down her arm so Icy has to release her grip quickly or be electrocuted. Stormy is back at Bloom aiming another kick that is intended for Bloom's head but Bloom sees it coming and moves but not fast enough to escape it landing hard into her ribcage. Bloom lets out a cry of pain and is once again flat out on the ground. Stormy moves in for the kill, raising her hands to smite Bloom point blank with a lightning bolt but then Darcy points a finger at Stormy's head and she crumples bonelessly to the ground.

Icy and Darcy and also Tecna and Musa move in to separate the two unconscious women and drag them a little ways apart from each other. Icy and Darcy start to approach the Winx who take this as the two Witches heading in to inflict their own mischief upon a helpless Bloom.

"Back off, Witches!" screams Tecna, calling up a large techno-shield to protect Bloom and herself from a possible attack.

"You heard her, Witches," snarls Musa, taking up position beside Tecna – her hands radiating with the pulse of sonic energy.

The remaining two Faeries take up a battle stance hovering behind Tecna and Musa. Stella is holding a glowing orb resembling a small sun ready to cast it down upon the heads of the Witches and Flora, although holding no apparent weapon and looking ill at ease about what is going down, still radiates her determination to fight to the bitter end and even to the death to defend Bloom and her comrades.

"You forget upon whose turf you stand, Tecna," drones Icy. "You're two to one now, but a shout from us will bring more Witches to our aid than you'll ever have a hope of beating. You may start this battle but it will be we Witches who will finish it. So, spread your tiny loser wings and flutter back to Loser-Land," and Darcy snorts with cruel and derisive laughter.

Shego, who is still standing at the sidelines, decides that now is the time for her to take a stance before a battle breaks out. Shego takes position beside Darcy and Icy and powers her hands with green plasma. "I suggest you do as Icy says and leave," she snarls at the Winx with as much cold edge and menace as she can summon to her voice, "or are you feeling lucky tonight?" However, unknown to The Trix, Shego is focusing all her powers of thought and tries to push an urgent message towards the empathic Faerie of Nature. "Escape while you can," Shego sends to Flora. "I can't hold them back forever. Nice and slowly now. No sudden or aggressive movements," and Flora's eyes go momentarily wide with a look of surprise and confusion.

"Girls," says Flora to the others, "Bloom is seriously injured and needs treatment at Alfea College or she is going to die. We can take up our quarrel with The Trix later but tonight we can't afford to do battle."

"I couldn't have said it better myself," smirks Icy, summoning a ball of absolute cold to her hands.

Tecna takes a quick glance behind her and sees Bloom is still unconscious on the ground and is beginning to take on the sickly, pallid hue which for Faeries means that the Grim Reaper is nigh at hand. Tecna does the math and arrives at the same logical conclusion as Flora. "Flora, Stella," she orders the two, "pick up Bloom and let's get out of here." Then the two pick up Bloom and lift off with her heading towards the third moon and the Faerie side of Magix while Tecna and Musa take up the rear guard.

"Good girl! Clever girl!" Shego thinks after Flora as she watches the Winx vanish into the night.

Shego is walking amongst the cowls abandoned by the Winx and is attracted to the one left by Flora that remains permeated with the scent of earth and primordial forests. She stretches it to measure across her shoulders and is disappointed that it is just a tad too small for her, but, thinking that she might be able to make some other use of it, she folds it over her arm.

Meanwhile, Icy and Darcy, seeming to have already forgotten their victory in obtaining the Dragon Fire, are butting heads in a hot blame-game over Stormy's behaviour and what went down that night. Shego tries to ignore them until she hears one of them say, "… someone is going to have to take her in hand and giver the disciplining she needs before she becomes totally uncontrollable and completely destabilizes our trix … " and Shego lifts up her head and looks in their direction.

"Well, here is someone who seems to agree with one of us," says Icy, catching Shego's expression. "So, Shego, how would you like to have the job?" and Shego is almost in shock at the thought that Icy would place this task and her Precious Little One into the hands of someone whom she threatened with death for trying to do just that the night before and who for The Trix is still very much a stranger.

"Am I free to use any methods available to me?" asks Shego.

"Yes," says Icy, nodding, "within whatever justifiable means is required."

Shego thinks on it for a moment then, against her better judgement, replies, "With pleasure!"

"Suits me just fine," says Darcy, dumping a still unconscious Stormy into Shego's arms. Suddenly, Darcy friezes with her head to one side then utters a poignant and extremely vulgar expletive that Shego momentarily believes is directed at her until Icy asks her what is the matter.

"It's M'Trika and the pussycat patrol," replies Darcy with urgency. "They're on to us and on their way!" then it is Icy who utters a very unladylike expletive.

"Everyone around me!" orders Icy then clapping her hands shouts_ "Effugeamus!" _and they vanish seconds before a black, Panther-Morph Witch and her feline troops round the corner at the double-quick.

"Damn!" snarls M'Trika. "They got away!" and a growl of anger rises from nine feline throats.

The Winx are now over the centre of the Faerie side of Magix when Bloom asks, "Did our plant work and are they following us?"

"Beautifully!" says Tecna with pride. "The virus has tagged all four of them and I was able to take a scan of them before dropping my cowl and they hadn't so much as an inkling that they had been scanned. And, no, they are not following us."

"Great!" smiles Bloom. "Now let's land and get under cover before something changes their minds."

Minutes later, the five are in a private booth in a teahouse in Magix and Flora is applying a cooling and pain numbing salve on Bloom's arm and ribs. "Are you feeling better, Sweetie?" asks Flora.

"Much better, Flora," replies Bloom.

"I have to say that that was an excellent imitation of a Faerie death hue," remarks Tecna. "Even I was fooled."

"Yeah," puts in Musa, "and I would give up this week's allowance to see Darcy's face when the Mistress of Illusion discovers that she's been tricked by an illusion."

"But Bloom," says Stella with the look of fear and distress in her eyes. "Icy has your Dragon Fire and only the Goddess and the Tree know what havoc she is going to wreak with it."

"Do you mean this Dragon Fire?" asks Bloom, conjuring up a ball of red, pulsating fire over her hand and four jaws drop in amazement.

"But… but… but…" stammers Stella. "I saw the Dragon Fire sucked out of you and taken by The Trix. Was that another illusion?"

"No it was not an illusion, Stella," says Bloom, smiling at the Faerie of Starlight and Moonlight. "The Trix did take the Dragon Fire from me," nods Bloom, "and Icy still probably thinks she has it," and the others look at her and at each other baffled.

"Do you remember me saying that I learned something special about the Dragon Fire during my last séance with Daphne and there was something that Icy has not yet learned?" Bloom asks them and they nod. "Well, the secret is that Icy can keep stealing the Dragon Fire from me until the two suns of Alfea go supernova but she will never, ever be able to keep it. Dragon Fire is specific to the one for whom it is intended and will break out of its prison and find its way back to her no matter what."

"But Bloom," says Stella with tears in her eyes and an expression of great sorrow on her face, "hundreds fought and died to get back for you the Dragon Fire which now you tell us would have eventually returned to you!"

"Yes, Stella," says Bloom with tears in her eyes for the fallen. "But it was for more than just the Dragon Fire that they fought and died but also for Magix, our colleges, our way of life and our very existence. Remember that it was The Trix who started that war," and the others nod their heads but still with great sorrow in agreement.

"The bottom line," concludes Bloom, "is Icy can no more steal and keep my sliver of the Dragon Fire than I can steal and keep hers."

"What?!" exclaim the others, jolted out of their moment of sorrow. "Are you now saying that Icy has the Dragon Fire? But how can the both of you have the Dragon Fire?"

"But Icy has always said that her powers come from dead planets," says Tecna.

"Oh, come on, Tecna!" drawls Bloom. "I thought you'd be way too smart to fall for that line. Think on it, it is like saying you can draw power from where there is none."

"Logical," says Tecna, looking embarrassed.

"Icy has been gifted by the Great Dragon with a sliver of her Dragon Fire but whereas I," says Bloom, pointing to herself, "am the Mistress of the Red Dragon Fire, Icy is the Mistress of the Ice Dragon Fire which has been her destiny to receive all along."

"You mean that Icy has been fighting with us all this time to obtain something she already has?" asks Flora, dismayed.

"Yes, that is the sad truth of it," says Bloom, also sounding dismayed.

"So why don't we just tell her that she already has her Dragon Fire so she will stop this senseless fighting?" asks Tecna.

"Yeah, Tecna, like Icy is going to believe this coming from a 'bunch of loser pixies'?" says Stella.

"Then maybe we can find another way to nudge Icy towards the proper direction so she finds it out for herself," suggests Tecna.

"That's my idea too," says Flora, "and I think we have just been handed the means to do it."

"How?" asks Bloom.

"Shego," replies Flora. "I don't believe that she is as solid with The Trix as they would like to believe. Look, she saved Tecna last night and tonight I got the impression from her that she was trying to hold back The Trix from attacking and that we should make quick our escape."

"She told you that?" asks Bloom.

"Not in spoken words," says Flora, "but I received from her something like a note being passed secretly during class written in clumsy and childish block letters but the message was clear enough. I think that Shego is a latent telepath whose skill level is still clumsy and hesitant because she has never used her skills before but she may well be our ticket to reaching Icy."

"That sounds promising, Flora," says Bloom. "Your assignment is to find out if Shego really has such skills and see if we can channel through her. Let's pray to the Goddess and the Tree that she is telepathic. She may be our only hope."

Back at The Trix apartment, Shego has just seen Stormy to bed and the others have also retired for the night. She finds that again she has only the sofa to sleep on and no pillow. She creates a makeshift pillow from Flora's cowl upon which to lay down her head, and, as she breathes in the scent of the earth and primordial forests, she suddenly feels a flood of emotions that she has not felt since a very long time ago. Then it hits her that, despite the initial rough spots, she is happy because she has found her place on this strange planet of Alfea. She soon drifts off to sleep. In her dreams she is dreaming that she holds someone in her embrace – not a cheerleader, not a Faerie with red hair or one with gold and brown but a Witch – a Witch with piercing blue eyes, with long hair that flows like silver and white water and with the power over ice and snow. "You are cruel and callous, you are calculating and power-hungry but I don't really believe that you are truly evil. Somehow we'll work this out," Shego hears herself say in her dream to this woman and the woman with the high ponytail smiles and replies, "Maybe we can."

In her room, Icy is also dreaming. She smiles during her dream for she is dreaming that she is being held protectively within the arms of the strong woman – the woman with raven hair, green eyes and dressed in a harlequin body suit of black and green.


	12. Ice Fire and Plasma Fire

**Chapter 12 : Ice Fire And Plasma Fire**

Shego is awoken the next morning by the sounds of screaming followed closely by the crashing and splintering sounds of something being smashed.

"Ouch!" exclaims Shego. "That sounded expensive."

Shego follows the noise and enters what the Witches call their quiet and meditation room to find The Trix there shouting furiously at each other while in one corner are the ruins of a glass-topped table and several china figurines.

"It has escaped us!" rages Icy at her two sisters. "One of you must have been careless with her crystal," Icy accuses them.

"It wasn't I," says Stormy defensively, her head bowed in fright under Icy's withering anger.

"I was super careful too," says Darcy who, although upset, is not cowering in fear as is Stormy. "Something else must have allowed it to escape."

"What's the matter?" asks Shego, stepping deeper into the room. "And what has escaped?"

"The Dragon Fire, obviously," snaps Icy at Shego. "What did you think?"

"That's too bad," says Shego to Icy – not out of sympathy for Icy's loss but rather for the repercussions that will follow. "I hope that Bloom and the Winx are prepared for a battle," she thinks. "Icy is going to be out for their blood."

"If you keep losing the Dragon Fire then perhaps it wasn't yours to have in the first place," Shego suggests to Icy.

"What?!" screams Icy, Shego's remark having hit home on a raw nerve. "You should keep your mouth shut concerning matters of which you are ignorant. I did the research. I did the training. The Dragon Fire belongs to my lineage and to me."

Then, suddenly changing the focus of her anger from her sisters to Shego, Icy screams at her, "You knew about this, didn't you? You set me up to believe that I had taken the Dragon Fire from Bloom when you knew all along that it would escape me."

"Just a minute here, sister," drones Shego at Icy, allowing her anger to surface. "I've had my fill of your insults, innuendo and attempts to manipulate me for the past two days but now when you attack my honour as well, that is grounds for a fight," and powers up both her hands with green plasma fire. "I was the one who arranged with Tecna to have Bloom come to you and to surrender the Dragon Fire to you. Now, I saw to it that you got it but I will not take the blame if you are unable to hold onto it. Now, lady, do I hear an apology from you and a change of attitude or do we settle this outside?" and waves a plasma lit fist inches from Icy's nose.

Icy would very much like to "settle it outside" but, after a quick assessment of her situation, she realizes that she is set up to be the vanquished if she accepts this challenge. Unlike the confrontation between Shego and Stormy, Shego has issued her a Witch-on-Witch challenge for which the unspoken rule is no other Witch gets involved or interferes. On the contrary, Darcy and Stormy would be there to insure that, once accepted, the fight goes on until one clearly vanquishes the other or there is a mutual agreement between combatants that the fight has reached a stalemate – the latter not being an option among Witches. Icy also realizes that a close quarters battle where opponents are huffing and snorting into each other's faces is not her kind of fight but one that stacks all the odds in Shego's favour. Shego has the speed and strength of the much feared Cat-Witch guards – she bested Stormy who, after all, is the fastest and most agile among them, so, what are her chances of beating that kind of speed? Shego's strength – she could use it to snap her arms with ease or crush her hands into pulp – either of which would end her career as a Witch. Finally, there is Shego's green plasma fire. Icy has no counter-spells that she knows of that are effective against it. Dragon fire "yes" but plasma fire is an entirely different matter.

With plasma fire burning before her eyes and despite the bitter taste in her mouth and the deep feelings of humiliation, all her instincts tell Icy to back down. "I guess I was a bit hasty," Icy tells Shego. "I apologise."

"Apology accepted," Shego replies, even knowing that Icy's words are hollow for the smouldering ice-blue fire in Icy's eyes tell Shego that Icy's true heart's thoughts are contrary to what she has said.

Shego extinguishes her fire then looks at Icy almost sadly. "I know that sooner rather than later I will have to fight you, Icy," thinks Shego. "It is something I really rather not. Why are you forcing my hand, My Silver-Haired Beauty?"


	13. The Cat Witch Guards Pt 1

**Chapter 13 : The Cat-Witch Guards, Part 1**

Shego takes a deep breath to calm herself and then asks The Trix, "Where is the gym? I need to go burn some calories and let off steam at a punching bag."

"You have to go out the main door, take a right… " starts Darcy and then goes on for another minute of directions while Icy, who is standing behind Shego, is giving Darcy a "What the heck?" look.

"Fine," says Shego. "I'll be back when I feel you three have had enough time to cool off."

The Trix say not a word as Shego exits the quiet and meditation room. There is the sound of provisions being taken from the food dispenser and then the sound of the main door opening and shutting.

"Why did you send her out there," Icy asks Darcy, "when we have a fully equipped gym with a sauna just down the hall?" Darcy grins and Icy and Stormy suddenly realize where Shego has been sent. "Darcy, you Witch! You didn't?!" and Darcy's smile becomes even wider. "You did!" exclaims Icy and Darcy is almost laughing.

"I'll give her five minutes before she's hacked into mincemeat," says Darcy with a wicked and nasty smile.

"I'd give her less," puts in Stormy, with her arms crossed and wearing an even nastier expression.

Shego is running down the halls at a good jog but after a few minutes she wonders if she hasn't been sent out on a wild goose chase. She decides to give Darcy's directions one last chance, turns what she thinks is the last corner and hears the distinctive sounds of athletes grunting and someone's body slamming down hard upon a gym mat. She puts on a burst of speed and then enters the room. "Hello everyone, I'm Sheee…" she calls in greeting but then suddenly stops as nine pairs of vertically slit eyes turn her way. "Oh…!"

One of the nine with fur so jet black that Shego can really make out only her golden eyes approaches her. "Are you lost? Might I help you?" asks the black-furred cat humanoid.

"I was looking for the gym," stammers Shego. "This is the gym, isn't it?"

"Yes," replies the black-furred one, "but it is for felines only."

"That's a bit discriminatory, isn't it?" retorts Shego more testily than intended.

"A point," she concedes then turning engages in a non-verbal conference of head nods, ear flicks and tail swishes with her mates.

"We have come to an agreement," says the black cat. "If you can endure a one-minute, bare-knuckle bout with one of us, we will then allow you into our club. The only restrictions are no magic and no super powers."

"I can agree to that," replies Shego.

"Whom do you challenge?" asks the black cat.

"You," replies Shego to the black cat, "seeing that this must be your idea," and a whoop fills the air.

Shego removes her clawed gloves, her boots then follows the black cat into the centre of the gym while the other eight form a ring about them. "The challenge is one-minute of bare-knuckle without the use of magic or superpowers," intones the tallest of the eight. "You will now turn and bow to each other. Then facing me you shall wait for the drop of the kerchief to commence fighting. May the best cat win!"

They bow and when the kerchief falls both are quick off the mark. Shego believes that she is matching her opponent blow-for-blow when, suddenly, the room reels before her eyes then everything goes black.

"Are you back with us?" asks the black cat as Shego's eyes open to see red and blue stars swirling before them. "Are you okay?" she asks offering Shego a hand-paw to help Shego back onto her feet which she accepts.

Shego stands before the black cat feeling deeply humiliated and humbled. "I have never been decked out so quickly," Shego tells her, while trying not to allow her voice to break. "How could have I failed so badly?" she chokes, her head bent in shame.

"You are indeed fast and strong," the black cat tells her, "but your technique is sloppy and predictable. It took me but a few seconds to figure out your fighting style and one second to defeat it."

"I guess that, that means I haven't made it into the club," whispers Shego, suddenly wanting very much to be a member.

"We were discussing that while you were out," says one of the golden tigers. "You lasted ten seconds against the best fighter of our group. That is ten times longer than the last human to accept the challenge and about four times longer than the average challenger. You show some promise…"

"… So, how would you like to train with us?" finishes the black cat with a slow, double wink of her golden eyes.

"Yes!" exclaims Shego, making a joyous, close-fisted sign of victory.

"Ahem?" says the black cat, with a disapproving look at Shego.

Shego realizes her mistake and standing to attention and bowing reverently to the black cat says, "This one would be honoured to be accepted into your group."

"Much better," says the black cat. "See, you are learning already."

"I think that introductions are now in order," says the black cat after a brief pause in the conversation. "I am called M'Trika," she says, introducing herself. "The others of my trix are Mieze," and introduces a cat looking like a blue-point Siamese on steroids but with such beautiful blue eyes – a few shades darker than Icy's but radiating peace and contentment unlike Icy's that burn with hot hate and cold malice. "And this is Matchka," says M'Trika, introducing the last member of her trix and Shego looks into the face of an angora cat who is also seriously ripped but whose expression is of one who is perpetually up-tight and irritable. "Stormy," thinks Shego.

"I am Yurika," says one of a triplet of smaller, black and white tigers, "and my sisters are Tora-ko and Hana-ko."

"Wo-Hu," says the tallest member and leader of a trix of yellow and black tigers whose markings are as distinct as Yurika's Trix are uniform. "These are Kamala and Maisha."

"I'm Shego," says Shego as a short and sweet introduction.

After the introductions follows a session of chin bunts and face rubs during which Shego remembers that these are to be kept friendly but short. Then, coming up the rear is the black and white tiger named Yurika who offers Shego a hand-paw. "Do you still like a warm and friendly handshake?" she asks Shego with a cattish smile. "Yes," replies Shego honestly, suddenly recognising the tiger who shook hands with her during the reception, "but I'm really getting to like the chin bunts and face rubs," and they both laugh.

"Shego?" asks Yurika. "How did you come to have a name that means 'after death'?"

"But I thought her name means 'poetic words'," interrupts Tora-ko.

"I was sure she calls herself 'impish sprite'," says Wo-Hu.

"What is with everyone trying to analyse my name?" says Shego, sounding a tad miffed. "'Shego' means 'Shego'. Perhaps, because I was born and raised in Go City my name could be interpreted as 'She who is from Go City' but nothing else. Now, maybe I should tell you how some of your names sound to me, Eureka and Whoa-Ho?"

A burst of cattish laughter and Shego realizes that her statement made it through translation. But Wo-Hu is not laughing and, in fact, her ears are plated against her skull, there is an outraged snarl on her puss, and she has unsheathed ten switchblade sized claws telling Shego that this particular tiger is not about to take this perceived insult lying down and is about to exact some satisfaction from a certain black and green clad butt.

"Easy big girl!" coos Yurika, wrapping an arm about Wo-Hu's bicep and pushing down Wo-Hu's hand-paw with her own. "I'm sure Shego meant no insult and you have to admit that we set ourselves up for that comeback." Then, rubbing her cheek against Wo-Hu's arm, Yurika looks up into her face and purr-whispers, "Besides, I think Shego's right. Considering that you are the most beautiful of us, that does kind of make you 'whoa-ho!'" and there is another burst of cattish laughter but Wo-Hu, realizing the backhanded compliment, is laughing too.

"I guess you are a good sort, after all," says Wo-Hu, thumping Shego's back nearly knocking all the breath out of her lungs.


	14. Entr'acte: Middleton

**Chapter 14 : Entr'acte: Middleton**

While Shego is landing on something cushy in the Trix' apartment, an elderly woman with a roundish face, bright green eyes and hair that is white except for a shock of red down the centre that stubbornly refuses to change colour is rocking in her chair in a retirement home in Middleton. Beside her is her husband who has lost most of his once blond hair, gone jowly and paunchy but still enjoys the company of his companion – a naked mole rat who is the fourth of his generation. Also in the circle is a tallish, blue-skinned man with a scar beneath one eye but still a full head of white hair who was once the elderly woman's bitterest rival but who, in his old age, has since given up on his plans to dominate the world and has become the elderly woman's friend.

Around the threesome sit their children and grandchildren. "Grandma Kim, Grandpa Ron, Grandpa Drakky," chorus the children, "tell us more of your adventures!"

"Yeah!" squeaks Rufus IV, popping up from Grandpa Ron's pants pocket.

So Grandma Kim and Grandpa Ron tell them of their adventures with Grandpa Drakky filling in some of the details. They tell them of Duff Killigan who meets his doom when, because of failing eyesight, misses hitting one of his exploding golf balls and is blown to smithereens. They talk about Monkey Fist who became more and more like a monkey as time went on and is, for all they know, swinging through the trees if he isn't a pile of bleached bones somewhere in the deepest jungle. They talk about Jim and Tim, Grandma Kim's genius twin brothers, who are the founders of a world-wide centre exploring deeper into the depths of space travel. They talk of many others, but, most of all, they talk of a beautiful, raven-haired woman who wore black and green harlequin body suits and who possessed the power of green plasma fire named Shego who disappeared without a trace eighty years before – and tears fill their eyes.

While Shego is lounging on a sofa, eating chocolate chip and chirpies cookies and sipping wine with The Trix, the circle of people she once knew in Middleton are long since gone. There is, however, the Kim Possible College and Bursary for young women showing academic excellence that operates in conjunction with the Ron Stoppable College for the Remedial. Branches of the Jim and Tim Possible Centre for Space Exploration are now on Mars and Io and pushing towards and beyond the solar system. Dr. D's shampoo is still a popular seller but does not leave one susceptible to mind control but just with silky, shiny, healthy and manageable hair.

Tecna is recounting to her friends, Bloom, Stella, Musa and Flora how a strange Witch in black and green and with the power of plasma fire saves her from the clutches of The Trix and tells them that Bloom must hand the Dragon Fire over to Icy. From a spaceport in Middleton, pioneer families are leaving Terra to colonize planets beyond the solar system. Strangely, as they set up colonies further and further into space, the pioneers mutate into bazaar and still more bazaar life forms. Some of the colonies are lost over the centuries and when rediscovered the Terran explorers do not recognise their inhabitants as once being human.

"And take her power from within," chant The Trix. War has exploded over Terra and Middleton is ground zero of a nuclear strike. Half of Terra is reduced to radioactive slag. Radiation and nuclear winters kill off the remaining humans and all other life forms except for the very simple.

As a raven-haired and a silver-haired woman dream of each other through the night the continents of Terra have collided to form one giant landmass. Numerous glaciers have swept over the planet crushing whatever remains of human civilization into rubble or burying it deep in rich loam. Dense vegetation covers the planet and many life forms evolve, flourish briefly and then disappear but there is yet to come a being that is sentient.

Shego and The Trix are arguing over who is responsible for the loss of the Dragon Fire but that is of no consequence to the new sentient humanoid but not human life form that has sprung up and populates Terra. One of these new humanoids is sitting upon a branch of a tree standing on a piece of ground that once was part of Middleton supporting her back against a leaf bud and happily munching on a berry that is almost half as big as she is. She is young and gracile with a comely roundish face, bright green eyes and bright red hair. From her back sprout a pair of lacy, gossamer wings.

"Hello, Ki," greets her blond-haired friend as he lands upon the branch beside her.

"Hello, Ro," replies Ki, smiling. "Hello, Ruu," she calls to the smooth insectoid creature that has made its home in Ro's pocket.

"Hi-Ya!" calls Ruu, popping up from Ro's pocket, waving several of his many arms and then vanishing once more into the shelter of Ro's pocket.

"Are you ready for an adventure today?" Ro asks Ki.

"Yes!" replies Ki, all excited and bright-eyed.

Ro hesitates and then asks, "Do you think we can invite She'o too?" with a hopeful flutter of his wings.

Ki has to laugh gently at Ro's infatuation with She'o. She is, admittedly, a gorgeous and intelligent Faerie with raven hair and a penchant for dressing herself in clothing made from deep purple and green leaves. She is Ki's friendly rival whom Ki has yet to beat in a race. "Sure, we can invite her, but you know that she'll probably invite Drak to come along," Ki reminds him.

"Drat! I don't know what she sees in him," sulks Ro, knowing that he will have to compete against Drak – her current blue hued and eccentric mate – for She'o's affections.

"Ro!" scolds Ki, her eyebrows arched.

"Okay," says Ro, still sounding disappointed. "I guess Drak is always good to have around for a laugh. Shall we get going then?"

So, the four Faeries meet and fly off together on a wonderful adventure but within the passing of a few hours for Shego they and several thousand generations of Terran Faeries come into being, live out their lives then vanished like so many mayflies.

As M'Trika helps Shego to her feet, the yellow and once life-giving sun of Terra has expanded destroying all the inner planets. As Shego and the Cat-Witch Guards introduce each other and share face rubs and chin bunts the incredibly ancient sun has melted away what remains of its planets and, its fuel now exhausted, explodes in a supernova. In the Alfean sky its passing is noted by a momentary flash of light that vanishes within minutes. Yet, as Shego and M'Trika sit to discuss Shego's training, where the old sun once was, gasses and elements have condensed into a dense mass that ignites into a blue-green sun which around its circumference are forming embryonic planets and the promise of new life.


	15. Lady Pree's Mission

**Chapter 15 : Lady Pree's Mission**

While Shego is getting her legs kicked out from under her by M'Trika, Flora is in her dorm, and, despite her standing as a senior student at Alfea College, she feels awkwardly like a green sapling compared to the Faerie dressed in a sari to whom she is talking. This Faerie with pink eyes who appears to be made of vapour is said to be immortal because she exists between the now and also the not now. She is also said to be the first Faerie ever to obtain her Believix. As Flora talks, the Faerie paces the length and breadth of Flora's desk yet paying great attention to what Flora has to tell her. Then she tires of pacing and flits and seats herself cross-legged atop a china mushroom where Flora keeps her stash of gumdrops and furrows her brow in deep thought. Suddenly, she shifts into a yoga position, rests her hands with her palms up and open upon her knees, slips into a meditative state and vanishes before Flora's eyes.

Flora gets up quietly, tip-toes to the door and carefully opens it. The Winx are waiting outside her door hoping that there is good news from her.

"What did she have to say?" asks Bloom excitedly. "Is she going to help us?"

"Hush!" whispers Flora, bringing her finger to her lips and then pointing towards the open door to Stella's dorm.

"Well…?" asks Bloom once the door has been shut.

"I don't know," replies Flora, looking frustrated and uneasy. "She's vanished but she still might be there meditating. But so far there has not been a word out of her – not even telepathically."

"Chill-lax, Flora!" exclaims Musa. "Your acting super up-tight for one who is supposed to be the last word on peace and tranquility."

"But I feel so inadequate being the one bringing our petition to her," whispers Flora humbly. "She is so high in the pantheon that she could be advising the Goddess on what She can and cannot do."

"I'm sure you're doing okay," says Bloom, taking Flora into her arms while the others gather around her to lend their support.

"Look, Flora," says Tecna encouragingly. "This is a delicate matter we are presenting to her. It is only logical that it will take time for her to think it through."

"So, since it's going to take some time," suggests Stella, "why don't we all grab a bite to eat, stretch out, relax and catch some rays?" and from her hands forms a small orb that floats to the ceiling and bathes everyone in its warm light."

"Stella!" wince all the others – even Flora – but laughing.

"Well, dawlings," counters Stella, "it certainly works for me," as all begin to relax and smile dreamily under the rays of Stella's orb.

« Come to me, » a soft voice whispers in Flora's mind.

Flora gets up quickly from her rest and quietly exits Stella's dorm and enters the dorm that she and Bloom share. When she enters, she sees a small orb of white light floating in the air. Flora opens her hand so the orb may light upon it and then transform into a miniature Faerie whom Flora feels yet does not feel standing upon her open palm.

« You are sure that this Witch called Shego may be telepathic? » the Faerie of Thought asks Flora.

"She has some sort of latent power, Lady Pree," replies Flora respectfully. "She's not an empath yet I could definitely feel her presence in my mind warning me not to let the others get embroiled in a battle with Icy and Darcy while on the Witch side of Magix and to make good our chance to escape. As I said, she is not empathic but telepathic is the only other thing I can think of unless you, in your great wisdom, Lady Pree, know of something else."

« No, I don't know of anything else, » replies Lady Pree. « But you want me to check her out for you? »

"Yes, Lady Pree, if you would," replies Flora with a note of anxiety in her voice. "You know what fate for Faeriekind might be hanging in the balance. You are the only one among us who can confirm whether she really is telepathic or not and bring her talent into full flower if she is. Shego may be the only one who can reason with Icy and bring her to see the truth of her talents and avoid The Trix from declaring our argument with them a blood feud."

« For as much as I don't like being in the company of Witches, » says Lady Pree seriously, « I will do this for you. I shall return in three days time, » and Flora watches as the diminutive Faerie transforms once again into an orb of white light and vanishes through the walls.

"Bloom, wake up, Sweetie," says Flora, shaking Bloom's shoulder. "We have our answer."

Bloom opens her eyes and notes the gentle smile on Flora's face. "She's going to help us," says Bloom and Flora nods.

"We should have an answer within three days," says Flora.

"Good… good," says Bloom. "Let's pray that it's good new she brings back to us. You've done well," and gently strokes Flora's cheek and kisses her forehead.


	16. The Cat Witch Guards Pt 2

**The Cat-Witch Guards, Part 2**

As the others resume their exercises and training, Shego sits in a huddle with M'Trika, Mieze and Matchka as M'Trika discusses Shego's training.

"We will assess more closely your strengths and weaknesses," begins M'Trika and Shego nods.

"Then we will assess your diet and adjust for anything it may be lacking," continues M'Trika.

"Seeing that you are quartered with The Trix," says Mieze, "there is probably not going to be much adjusting required. One thing that we can say about Icy and her sisters is that they are very body and health conscious. I doubt that anyone could find anything on Icy's table that is not designed to maintain a healthy body and to keep you in peak condition."

"Yes," says Shego, making a face, "but I hope that the adjustments will not require me to eat more spiders and other creepy-crawlies. Do you think we could work in the occasional steak once in a while?" and there is a burst of laughter.

"We'll see what we can do for you," smiles M'Trika, "but insects are a staple on Alfea so you had better just accept that they will be a large part of your diet from now on."

"But how did you know that I was staying with The Trix?" asks Shego.

"We have been keeping tabs on you ever since we got word of your arrival," says Matchka. "We even know where and how you hid a certain artifact," and Shego cringes in surprise. "You need not worry about it," continues Matchka, "in fact, if it is for what we think it is, then I commend you for keeping it out of the hands of The Trix."

"You have fallen in with a very bad lot," says Mieze.

"Got that right!" snarls Matchka, her ears plated against her skull and her claws inching out of their sheaths. "Those three are the very incarnation of everything bad ever said about Witches. That lot should have their necks snapped especially Icy because she's respo…," and M'Trika suddenly shoots Matchka an angry look. "I need to curl some weights," says Matchka in a huff and M'Trika nods.

Shego watches as Matchka heads off, her tail swishing angrily. "I don't know of how much of Alfea's history you know," begins M'Trika in response to Shego's questioning expression. "A few years ago, The Trix started a war now called The Alphea College War between Witches and Faeries. Long story short: A contingency of Witches fought alongside the Faeries to defeat The Trix. One of these Witches was Matchka's sister who was killed in the fighting. The details of her death are unclear but Matchka now believes that she has a justifiable blood-feud with The Trix and with Icy in particular. It really sticks in Matchka's craw that, as a member of the Cat-Witch Guards, she is obliged to protect them."

"I can understand how she must feel," replies Shego, "but on Earth, those who start wars usually wind up killed or executed. I'm surprised then that The Trix have not met with the same fate."

"This is not our way," explains M'Trika seriously. "We do not believe in executing anyone no matter how serious the crime. We consider ourselves all to be sisters in a universal sisterhood and thus we never turn our back on a sister who has strayed. We would rather see her repent, turn away from her evil ways, make restitution and become a contributing member to society."

"Yes," says Shego, "I have heard the same sentiments expressed on Earth."

"Anyway," says M'Trika, "back to the business of your training. There will be exercises, you will learn the basics of the healing arts, you will be taught how to meditate….

"But when do we get to the fighting?" breaks in Shego and Mieze shakes a warning with her head.

"Shego!" says M'Trika somewhat angrily and with the tone of one who is near her limit trying to explain a concept to a slow-witted child. "What do you think we are all about? Do you think that I run classes just to teach people how to pick fights and how to more efficiently hurt others? If so then you have missed the whole point of our being here. In the title 'Cat-Witch Guard' the operative word is not 'cat' nor is it 'Witch' but it is 'Guard.' We are here to protect all Witches from all threats either from within or without – and that includes protecting The Trix. If we were not here to do that then we would be called 'Cat-Witch Assassins' or 'Cat-Witch Henchwomen' or something similar but we are called 'Cat-Witch Guards'."

"So, you are the police of Cloud Tower," says Shego.

"Yes," replies M'Trika. "I guess we could be seen as such."

"Believe it or not, M'Trika," says Shego in a sad voice, "my brothers and I were members of a crime fighting team. We called ourselves Team-Go and for the most part we got along well. But then my brothers started getting full of themselves and Team-Go became the all male mutual admiration society and I was the inconvenient someone who tagged along. Finally, it came to the point of being unbearable so I took the hint and struck off on my own to become a mercenary."

"I'm sorry to hear that," says M'Trika, her face taking on a softer expression, "but you will never have to feel that way here. We welcome you into our sisterhood with open arms. We hope that while here you will achieve your full potential in time."


	17. Secret Mind Thoughts

**Chapter 17 : Secret Mind Thoughts**

Kneeling in a small recess above The Trix' sunken dining area is a miniature Faerie with pink eyes and dressed in a sari who looks down upon the three Witches as they discuss in gruesome detail how another Witch named Shego must have met her doom by now at the hand-paws of "the kitty-cats".

« How typical, » thinks Pree, the Faerie of Thought, but yet prays that for Flora's sake this Witch Shego is still to be counted among the living. Her thoughts are interrupted when there is a knock on the door and a beautiful young Witch with raven hair dressed in a black and green cat suit enters the room. "Hello," she greets The Trix.

"Hello, Shego!" exclaims one of the Witches with hair done up in a high ponytail with a comely smile on her lips and soft blue light flashing in her eyes but who quickly schools her expression into one of neutrality.

"Interesting," thinks Pree.

"Well, welcome back," says the tiniest Witch with blue-black hair like a thundercloud who is obviously unhappy to see the return of this Witch named Shego. "She can't have gone to the gym," she whispers behind her hand to a brunette Witch, "or she'd be dead."

"Did you find the gym okay?" asks the brunette.

"Yes," replies Shego, "and had a wonderful workout and made some new friends too."

"Oh?" says the brunette. "Whom did you meet?"

"Well," begins Shego, "I met M'Trika, Matchka, Mieze…, Yurika…, Wo-Hu…," and the three Witches look at each other and back at Shego not liking what they are hearing. The blonde and the brunette are managing to keep a straight face but the cheeks of the tiniest one are flushing red with anger as she struggles to keep an outraged snarl from forming on her lips. But then when Shego tells the three how she lasted ten seconds in a bout with a Cat-Witch Guard named M'Trika and then how M'Trika invited and accepted her into their elite group to train with them the expressions of The Trix are shocked into ones of disbelief and fear.

Shego appears to be unaware of The Trix' distress as she enters the sunken dining area seating herself beside Stormy, waits for Icy to give her the nod and then delves hungrily into the food. "Yum…, dark honey!" remarks Shego happily. "I like it even better than light. So, what did you three do for the rest of the day?"

"Darcy and I were at work," replies Icy, "and Stormy was attending classes."

"Oh?" says Shego, turning to Stormy. "What did you learn in class today?"

Stormy remains quiet, sullenly unwilling to answer Shego, until Icy fixes her with a frigid ice-blue stare. "Stormy…," she drones to her Precious Little One.

"Oh, well…," growls Stormy, flustered, "I learned about potions and spells and all that," and squirms wanting to be away from Shego but knowing that she cannot leave the table until Icy dismisses her.

"It seems that you will be remaining here with us for the school year," Icy announces to Shego. "Miss Griffin passed by while you were out and told us that your sudden arrival to Alfea and to Cloud Tower came after all the dorms were allocated and there is no other place to put you up. You are entitled to a newcomer's allowance which will pay for your first year's tuition fees and give you some extra for personal needs – like some new clothes," and Darcy and Stormy giggle. "The rest, you will have to pay for from your own funds."

"That shouldn't be a problem," replies Shego picking up a piece of charcoal surrounding one of the nearby potted plants. Icy watches as Shego drops the piece of charcoal into her plasma lit palm, clench it for a count of ten and then drop a bean-sized blue ice diamond into Icy's hand. "If Alfea is anything like Earth, this should be of considerable value."

"I should say it is!" blurts Icy as she holds her hand out for Darcy and Stormy to see.

"Whoa!" exclaims Darcy. "Diamond may not be as hard as Alfeanium but Alfeanium is as common as dirt and cannot be used for much else other than for construction while diamonds are rare and almost priceless." Then grinning at Shego adds, "Say, you couldn't cook up a dozen or so just for us, could you?"

"I would keep this little trick top secret," Icy warns Shego. "There are plenty of those on Alfea who would kill for just one of these. Meanwhile, if you would entrust me with this one, I shall pass it on to Miss Griffin who will set up an account in your name and see that you are issued a credit card."

"Works for me!" grins Shego.

When the meal is done and Icy dismisses all from the table, Stormy makes an immediate beeline for her room. Icy and Darcy stretch and yawn and announce that they too are retiring for the night and that Shego should do likewise.

As Shego and The Trix sleep, Lady Pree, visits each, passing through doors and walls as if they didn't exist.

« There is something regal as well as beautiful about her, » thinks Pree while hovering over Icy's head. « A slightly different turn of events and she may well have been a noblewoman or a queen. But now it is time to see what is going on in her mind, » and begins a light scan of Icy's thoughts.

« She's a telepath! » gasps Pree, « and just not an amateur. Someone has trained her and trained her well. She has put up amazingly strong blocks and barriers which she has been using to hide the fact from others for some time now. Maybe for so long that she no longer remembers having this power. »

Pree tries to go deeper into Icy's mind but finds that she can only access current events but nothing else. One line of thought is Icy's turmoil over Shego being a member and in league with the Cat-Witch Guards and how this may put her and her sisters in great danger but that there may yet be ways that having someone so close to them might turn events to her advantage. The other train of thought, also about Shego, is full of raw and passionate emotions. She desperately wants Shego to stay with her. Furthermore, she wants Shego for herself. The recent dreams of them being in each other's embrace have awoken in Icy the need to feel loved and protected within the arms of the strong woman. But then there are fears of betrayal and that Shego might even try to take over as leader of her trix. Then there is the practical question of where to put up Shego during her stay with them.

« Why not offer to share your room with her? » Pree pushes gently into Icy's thoughts. « This would give you both some privacy in which you can tell Shego your true heart's desires. Chances are that Shego may feel the same about you, » and Icy smiles gently as a tear slides down her cheek.

« Dark, mysterious, sultry, » is Pree's assessment of Darcy's thoughts, « and totally man-crazy. » Pree finds that Darcy's thoughts are not occupied with her sisters or with Shego but over her feud with a Faerie named Musa and with her hopes of being married to and raising a family with a Faë named Riven. « A Faë? » questions Pree. « Goddess help them all for this shall end only in tragedy, » then, seeing there is no more to be learnt, slips into Stormy's room.

« What? » thinks Pree – momentarily puzzled when her attempts to enter Stormy's thoughts hit against a barrier that is as hard as Alfeanium. « Yes, I should have known right away that with a name like Stormy that she would be a Storm-Witch and like them she would have adaptive shielding about her brain that is proof against telepathic communications. » Then, looking down upon a sleeping Stormy, Pree realizes that the image of Stormy as a young woman is only an illusion. « She is but a child trapped in a woman's body… and a very sad and lonely child indeed, » Pree observes and is moved almost to pity for the petite Storm-Witch.

« We finally come to you, Shego » thinks Pree as she hovers over Shego's head. « Well, let's see if you are really a latent telepath as Flora believes you are, » slowly probing into Shego's thoughts then quickly throwing up a barrier to hold back the crashing waves of thoughts that hit her with force.

« Goddess! » cries Pree in her mind, shocked. « Not only is she a telepath but a powerful one but raw! »

Pree learns from her brief contact with Shego's mind that Shego is as misandric as Darcy is man-crazy. In Shego's mind, men are all jerks and buffoons and one buffoon in particular named Ron Stoppable she wants to grab by the throat and squeeze very hard. « She is going to require a lot of work, » thinks Pree. Then, entering gently again into Shego's mind, she calls, « Shego, wake up! »

« WHAT? WHO'S THERE? » demands Shego in her mind as she is jolted awake and Pree has to quickly re-erect her barrier.

« Hush! » warns Pree. « You don't want to wake everyone up! »

"Icy? Is that you?" whispers Shego aloud.

« No, » replies Pree. « I'm floating right in front of you. »

Shego looks and sees a fist-sized orb of white light before her, and as her eyes adjust to the half light of the room, she begins to make out the form of a Faerie within the orb who appears to be at once there and not there but somewhere in a misty in-between.

"Say!" whispers Shego. "You're exactly what I thought a Faerie would be and you are as beautiful as I would have expected."

« Thank you, » sends Pree, « but I have an urgent matter to discuss with you. »

« SHE'S TALKING TO ME IN MY HEAD! » exclaims Shego in her mind and Pree winces.

« Yes, » says Pree, « but you are shouting at me while I'm right here. Please bring down your mental volume like this » and, taking Shego by a mental hand, shows her how to adjust the volume of her transmissions. « Do you sense the difference now? »

« I believe so, » sends Shego at a volume that is now bearable, « but who are you and how do you know my name? »

« I'm Pree, » says Pree, « or, formally, Lady Pree, The Faerie of Thought. I know of you through your contact with the Winx – especially Tecna and Flora. »

« And Bloom? » asks Shego and Pree nods. « How is she doing? » asks Shego, concerned.

« She's doing well, » replies Pree surprised that a Witch would remember a Faerie's name and be concerned about her well-being. « This one is going to be worth studying, » thinks Pree behind a mental barrier. « But if you could hold back from interrupting me, » she sends to Shego, « I need to speak to you about something urgent. In short, we desperately need your help in preventing the destruction of Alfea along with all her inhabitants. »

« What can I do? » asks Shego shocked and suddenly concerned for Alfea which she is now beginning to see as her new home where she feels she truly belongs.

« Alfea needs your help to bring the conflict between The Trix and the Winx to a peaceful end before Icy declares it a blood-feud, » says Pree and Shego looks at her puzzled.

« A war, Shego, » continues Pree. « A war that will destroy all of Alfea and her inhabitants. »

« How can I help with that? » asks Shego.

« You are the only one we feel who can reach Icy and make her see reason, » replies Pree, « but it needs be done subtly and without The Trix suspecting any Faerie involvement. »

« I can understand that, » replies Shego, « still what can I do? »

« Befriend Icy and work hard on gaining her confidence and trust and try to keep her mind off her dispute with Bloom and the Winx. Then try to nudge her towards reassessing her research and especially all and everything concerning The White Ice Dragon Fire, » replies Pree. « If you can do this, then Icy will come to see things in a new light and, hopefully, cease her conflict with Bloom and the Winks before it is too late. Can you remember that and do this for us? »

« Yes, » replies Shego sincerely.

« Alfea thanks you, » says Pree with a thankful smile. « You shall not see me again until this danger is resolved but I shall always be as close to you as your thoughts and I shall help you to develop your telepathic skills, » and Shego watches as Pree and her light vanish before her eyes and her final words Shego hears only in her mind.


	18. Shego at Class

**Chapter 18 : Shego At Class**

The next day, Shego begins classes and finds herself elbow-to-elbow with many of the young Witches attending Cloud Tower. To her surprise, Shego learns on her first day that witchcraft has nothing to do about casting hexes, curses and other evil on people but that the first edict of witchcraft is in fact 'harm no one'. She also learns that The Trix is not about to win any popularity contests among the other Witches and many are suspicious of her for cohabiting with them. Many were angered with The Trix for starting the Alfea College War over the Dragon Fire against the Winx and disrupting the delicate balance of mutual respect and cooperation that had existed between Witches and Faeries and also for setting Witch sister against Witch sister which nearly fractured and destroyed the Great Sisterhood of Witches that has survived for countless millennia. Many were jealous and resentful that Icy, Darcy and Stormy were under the protection of the Cat-Witch Guards and living in the lap of luxury while they had to live crowded by threes into dormitories that barely rate as bed-sits and, in their opinion, getting everything else their little hearts desire by simply putting on a frowny face. Some tell Shego in so many words that they want the trio dead but because the members of The Trix are still the most powerful among the human witches no one has found the courage to declare a blood-feud against them. Yet, when she attends her first Ancient and Arcane Magic class taught by Icy, Shego learns that Icy can hold the whole class spellbound and entranced with such interest that all sat mesmerized and seeming to forget that any ever held any arguments against Icy or The Trix.

The classes with the Cat-Witch Guards are hard and exhausting. Most of her sessions are involved with exercises and technique and when one got tired of that there was technique and exercises all under M'Trika's strict code of discipline. Then M'Trika starts classes on how to meditate with all of them. At first, Shego wonders what the good of it is until she begins to realize that after meditating she is much more relaxed, alert and able to concentrate more fully on her studies. She soon learns that meditating had other applications. After an especially violent episode with Stormy during which she gets kicked, scratched and bit and has to light up a fist with plasma and threaten Stormy with near death to make her stop, Shego gets the brain wave that meditating might also help her. Like her, Stormy first thinks that meditating is a waste of her time but not given a choice by Shego she reluctantly takes up the discipline. After a few weeks, though, and after having mastered the basics, Stormy grudgingly admits that meditating is helping her and 'stops the thunder and lightning from raging in her skull'. Afterwards, the tensions begin to ease between them.

Shego learns that the Cat-Witches had other ways to relax when she is invited to join them in what she thinks of as a pussycat pile-on involving mutual licking, bunting and scratching which they call scritching. However, her first session ends abruptly when an overzealous Kamala takes a nip at Shego's hindquarters resulting in Shego having to be rushed to the infirmary for treatment.

"It's deep and you have lost some blood," chirps Alysoun, the Avian-Witch healer of Cloud Tower. "However, there is no tearing and no major veins or arteries punctured so it will not require stitching but you will have to wash the wound carefully every day and apply this salve to prevent an infection. I would also start looking for some soft pillows to sit on for the next few weeks."

"I'm so terribly sorry," Kamala apologizes profusely with her ears canted, her whiskers drooping and her tail nearly dragging on the floor. "I forgot how naked you are. For us, our thick fur protects us and the most anyone gets is a burst of warm breath."

"Don't fret over it," replies Shego. "It will probably heal into an interesting conversation piece and I will surely recognize a Tiger-Morph Witch if I'm ever bitten again."

"But still," protests Kamala, "I've ruined your suit and you can't always go around in disposable clothes. How about letting me take you to Magix for a clothes shopping spree? It will all be on my credit card."

"That would be great!" says Shego, "but maybe not necessary," taking a pinch of Kamala's fur between her fingers. "I rather like the fabric of what you're wearing. How about slipping out of it and letting me have it?"

"Go away!" laughs Kamala, giving Shego a light swat on her shoulder. "You know, what I got of you tasted pretty delicious. The next Tiger-Morph Witch to bite you might just be me and this time I'll go for a bigger chunk."

"I'll pull your tail first," counters Shego.

"Your welcome to try," replies Kamala with a cattish grin and then they both laugh.

Within a short time, Shego finds that there are many advantages in following the Witch lifestyle. The oyster oil treatments on her hair by Icy have given it a lustre and shine that just doesn't quit. The insect diet and M'Trika's exercise regime have paid off with a harder, sleeker and stronger body than what her comet given enhancements alone have given her. What Shego finds disturbing, though, are Icy's longing and increasingly hungrier looks at her when she thinks Shego is not looking or seeing.

« She's in love with you, » whispers Pree softly in Shego's mind. « I'm surprised you have not noticed and that she has not yet invited you into her chamber. »

« Freaky! » replies Shego to the Faerie of Thought, recalling the dream of her and Icy being in each other's loving embrace. « I have always thought of her as beautiful and intelligent but never of being in this kind of relationship with her. The only bond I have had with another woman is with a cheerleader named Kim and, although it was a bond of rivalry, and although we were actually closer than anyone would have suspected, it is still nothing like the kind of relationship you say Icy wants with me. »

« You may have to give in to Icy's desires if you ever hope to get close enough to her to complete your mission, » says Pree. « You have yet to learn that on Alfea bonds between women are more the rule than the exception. Here such pairings are without stigma. »

« It still makes me feel like the fly being invited into the spider's nest » says Shego, shivering.

Shego returns from classes one evening to find Darcy in the company of a tall, roughly good-looking young man with purple hair shaped like a flame.

"Hello, Darcy," Shego greets her, "and who is this handsome fellow?"

"Shego, meet Riven," says Darcy in a way of an introduction, "and Riven, meet Shego."

"Oh? So you are this Riven I have heard so much about," purrs Shego, favouring Riven with a full, slow and luscious hip roll which ends in a hip thrust in his direction and placing her hand into the hand Riven has offered her to receive a hand kiss. "And such a gentleman too," she coos.

"Thank you," replies Riven, grinning from ear to ear.

"Perhaps we will meet again," smiles Shego sweetly and demurely at him with a slow fluttering of her eyes.

"I'd really like that," says Riven, obviously looking over Shego's curvaceous figure with an even wider grin and the look of one whose thoughts are rapidly heading south, while Darcy, who is standing behind Shego, is giving him a dirty look.

"Well, Riven was just leaving, wasn't he?" breaks in Darcy, grabbing a surprised Riven by the arm and almost shoving him out the door. "You know were to find your bike…, I'll see you later," she growls at him through clenched teeth.

"Look, you green goblin," snarls Darcy, turning on her heels to face Shego, "that's my man. You keep your eyes and paws off of him!"

"I have no intensions of having anything to do with him," replies Shego coolly.

"You had better not," storms Darcy. "Do you think I'm blind or stupid? You may have Stormy afraid of you and you may have Icy crushing over you but in no way are you fooling me. And, if I so much as find you're thinking about getting between Riven and me, I shall cast such a screaming hex on you that you'll use a blunt spoon to scoop out your brains through your pixie ear-holes just to end the horror. Get it, sister?"

« She can't touch you while I'm protecting you, » Shego hears Pree's voice whispering in her mind, « nevertheless, don't antagonize her. We need her on our side. »

"Yes, I get it," replies Shego aloud to Darcy. "As I said, I have no interest in him. He's a jerk like every other man I've ever met. And if I were you, I would drop him like a hot potato and go look for a nice Wizard. If what Icy has told me is true, then a Witch running around with a Faë is like trying to eat soup with a fork – all it gets you is the exercise."

"Faë or not," snarls Darcy hotly, "Riven's still my man and I love him."

"Then the more fool you," shrugs Shego and heads off to the quiet and meditation room.

« Bitch! » Shego hears Darcy's angry mental scream aimed at her back but, letting on that she has not heard, she walks on.


	19. A Profession of Love

**Chapter 19 : A Profession of Love**

Shego awakes early one morning to the sound of feet treading softly. "Good morning, Icy," she greets her, sitting up, stretching and yawning. "You're up pretty early."

"Couldn't sleep any longer," replies Icy, "so, instead of wasting the morning, I decided to get up and start the day early."

"Oh? Anything special going on today?" asks Shego.

"The first order of the day is a real bath," says Icy. "I want to take a few hours for an honest to Goddess soak. Say, you haven't seen our bathhouse yet. Want to come with?"

"That could be fun," says Shego as Icy takes her by the hand and walks her through what just a second before Shego thought was a solid wall.

"Here we are," announces Icy.

Shego looks around in awe, realizing that what Icy is calling a bath is more a small swimming pool that is continuously filled from a warm waterfall at one end. "We seem to be in some sort of cave," she remarks.

"Exactly right," replies Icy. "It is a near perfect reproduction of a pool that exists in a network of caves where my mother and I hid out for a time. We spent most of her last days together in that pool enjoying the warm water – until the witch hunters caught and killed her. It was a shock for me to find that our apartment included this reproduction. It is as if someone grabbed an image of it right out of my mind and rebuilt it here." Then with a short, sad laugh she turns to look at Shego. "You'd think that I would hate to spend time in a place like this but, somehow, I feel a strange comfort as if something of her spirit imbues the very stones."

Icy unties the strings of her nightgown, lets it tumble to the ground and steps out of it. Next, she unfastens the tower holding up her hair which falls to her ankles. "You are not going to bathe in your nightclothes, are you?" she asks Shego when she sees that she is not undressing. "Here, let me help you."

Icy unclasps Shego's nightgown so it too falls to the floor then, suddenly, Shego finds that Icy has floated to eye-level, has wrapped her arms about her neck and is pressing her mouth against hers. Shego finds herself thrilling to the touch of Icy's lips and feels her heart beginning to pound as she breathes in Icy's scent as she did at their first encounter but then suddenly pulls back when she feels her head spinning and her legs about to go weak.

"What's the matter, My Raven Beauty?" asks Icy, not understanding Shego's sudden withdrawal. "Don't you like this?"

"Yes, it was nice but…," stammers Shego.

"Is it because I'm not beautiful enough for you?" Icy asks her, sad-eyed.

"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," Shego tells her, "but…."

"Perhaps you would prefer me looking like this," and, spinning slowly, Shego watches Icy transform into a version of herself with raven hair, warm chocolate brown eyes and skin the colour of golden honey. "This is my true appearance which few ever get to see."

"Yes, and I find you are beautiful either way," says Shego sadly, "but you must understand that…."

"What is there to understand?" frowns Icy. "I love you. I thought you loved me. At least you seemed interested in me the day we first met. What's gone wrong?"

"Nothing has gone wrong, Icy" Shego tries to soothe her.

"Call me Isha," says Icy.

"What?" asks Shego.

"Call me Isha," repeats Icy. "Icy is not my real name. It is a misunderstanding of my name from when I first arrived on Alfea that has stuck with me. My real name is Ishandra or Isha for short."

"Isha," begins Shego softly, "I understand what you want of me but I have to tell you that I'm not ready for this kind of relationship with you."

"What?" questions Icy with tears beginning to well in her eyes. "Don't women fall in love with women in your time and dimension? Do they not bond with one another?"

"Yes, it does happen," replies Shego, "but women who do are treated like outcasts of society and the whole practice is seen as unnatural and taboo."

"Strange attitude," says Icy, shaking her head. "On Alfea, it is a cause for celebration when two people find each other and bond. It is almost as joyous an occasion as when a new trix comes into being."

"If you have such a bond with Darcy and Stormy," asks Shego, "why are you seeking so desperately to bond with me?"

"I'm lonely," states Icy bluntly. "Darcy and I are drifting further and further apart despite our bond as a trix and Stormy, although nice enough to cuddle with, is too much of a child to be able to carry on a conversation as an equal. And, oh yes, I heard about your confrontation with Darcy over Riven. I would avoid getting in Darcy's bad book. There is a good reason for why she is called the Mistress of Deception and Illusion. She's a viper hidden inside a rose. The rose is beautiful and alluring but the viper can turn on you and give you a fatal bite when you least expect it."

"What about the other Witches at Cloud Tower?" asks Shego. "Surely there must be someone among them."

"They all hate me," sobs Icy, the tears falling freely down her cheeks. "And Matchka has spread so many malicious lies about me that no one wants to come near me. It is only out of fear that anyone is nice to me at all. But, somehow, with you it is different."

"I'm truly sorry," says Shego, enfolding Icy into her arms and allowing her to weep on her shoulder. "Perhaps we could start with just being really good friends first and then see what develops from there."

"Fair enough," says Icy, "but I hope someday soon you will come to love me as I love you."

"Nothing is written in stone, as my grandmother would say," says Shego, cupping Icy's chin in her hand and looking into her brown eyes. "Perhaps someday it will happen but just not now."

"Well," sighs Icy, "we did come here to bathe," and taking Shego's hand leads her into the warm water. "We'll do each other's front first and then each other's back and hair. Then we can go to my chamber and I will teach you how to play Kitten-in-the-Cradle and some of the other women's games we enjoy. Or perhaps you would like a good old pillow fight – I bet I'd win."

"I wouldn't be so sure of it," laughs Shego. "I swing a pretty mean pillow."

Shego starts sponging Icy and then lets her fingers glide down her firm abdomen. "I never realized your skin is so fine," she tells her. "This is like touching silk."

"It is?" blushes Icy, hiding her nose and mouth behind her hands and giggling. "Now, that_ is _a compliment!"

There is a humming sound then Darcy and Stormy appear in the bath with them. "Oh? Am I interrupting something?" asks Darcy so saccharin sweetly that it sets Shego's teeth on edge. "I'm so sorry," she drawls with a nasty edge to her voice and a smirk playing at the edge of her lips. "Here, make yourself useful and do my back and hair," then shoves a sponge and a bottle of shampoo into Icy's hands.

"Do mine, please, Shego," asks Stormy shyly, while turning her back for Shego to wash.

« Damn you, Darcy! » Shego hears Icy's angry voice echoing in her mind. « You know fair well that this was private! » but The Trix seem unaware that the comment had been sent or received.

Then there is again a humming in the air as yet another joins them. "I thought I heard splish-splashing in this oversized birdbath," chirps Alysoun, the Avian-Witch Healer who resembles a multi-coloured and befeathered cross between an angel and a hawk. "Mind if I join you?"

"The more the merrier, I guess," sighs Icy resigned. Then Shego feels a sponge that is held in fingers that end in wickedly curved talons wash her back with the gentleness of a healer.


	20. A New Talent & A New Heart

**Chapter 20 : A New Talent And A New Heart**

Despite Icy's patient instructions and Darcy's spell that allows her to see the air streams, Shego quickly learns to her disappointment that she will never fly as do The Trix. Yes, she understands the principle of surfing on the air but each time she tries she floats through the air in just the same manner as a solid gold brick doesn't and has to be rescued by Icy and Darcy from becoming a smear on the Cloud Tower courtyard. Even when she tries launching herself into the air by jumping from the highest springboard at the Cloud Tower swimming pool she only lands in a spectacular belly-flop into the water below.

"I don't understand why I can't fly," complains Shego to Kamala one of the Tiger-Morph Cat-Witch Guards of Cloud Tower, "it is surely simple enough."

"It is because you are too heavy," replies Kamala matter-of-factly.

"What?" protests Shego, looking at Kamala offended. "I haven't an ounce of extra fat anywhere on my body!"

"No," says Kamala. "We are not fat by any manner or means but you see none of us Cat-Witches can fly either. You need to be within a certain weight to height ratio to be able to fly. A single ounce or inch too much and the air streams cannot support you."

"Oh," replies Shego, still looking disappointed.

"Don't feel badly," soothes Kamala. "Those who can fly pay a steep price for that ability. Their bones lack mass and are much more prone to breakage. For either a Witch or a Faerie, broken hand, feet or limb bones are a career ending injury because it is through them that she directs magic."

"But still…," sighs Shego.

"You'll find your talent," encourages Kamala. "Mother Alfea tends to balance out her gifts. What talent she may deny you in one respect is made up for with a double measure in another. You shall discover yours in good time."

Shego discovers her talent when one day at class she realizes that she has forgotten some of her textbooks and her homework back at The Trix' apartment then suddenly finds herself there. She hastily picks up her stuff and thinks of herself back at class and "Woosh!" she's back.

"How long was I gone?" she asks the student sitting beside her.

"Gone where?" asks the young woman, baffled.

"So my gift is self teleportation," thinks Shego who soon discovers that her ability to teleport goes far beyond just short hops but is interplanetary, intertemporal and possibly interdimensional.

"Perhaps it is because of my interaction with the Tempus Simia that have resulted in this power or perhaps it has awoken within me a certain mystical feminine_ j'sais pas quoi _or perhaps it didn't require the Tempus Simia after all but just the belief that she could do it," Shego tries to reason. "Well, so much for that magical chunk of carved granite," she laughs to herself, "eat your heart out, Monkey Fist," then sarcastically bites her tongue.

Shortly after discovering her new talent, Shego the Cat-Burglar, goes on a rampage of thievery breaking into and taking at ease from the most secure and heavily guarded installations on Alfea leaving the populace to wonder how and why some of their most precious artefacts and so many pieces of feminine clothing in black, green or both have suddenly vanished.

Her rampage comes to an abrupt halt when one evening she returns with a sack full of booty to add to the groaning pile of bling she has amassed in one of the Cloud Tower lofts when her thoughts drift to, "Why am I doing this?" followed in short order with the question, "Why have I turned to evil?"

There were two reasons she discovers – the first being that she could and the second was to get back at her brothers, Hego, Mego and Wego for becoming such a bunch of conceited Rah-Rah Do-Gooders and excluding her from Team Go which had become their all-male mutual admiration society.

Both reasons are now null and void Shego comes to realize. The greatest thrill of thievery for her was not to amass material goods but the challenge of how far she could get before being caught. She had already proved her prowess as a thief on Alfea where it appeared that there were none here like Kim Possible who could defeat her or even offer her the thrill of a good chase. So why did she have to go on proving herself? And why should she pursue a career in evil when in the depths of her heart she really wanted to be good. Her brothers were not here to have to prove anything to so why not do as she really wanted to do. She has been offered a clean slate since coming to Alfea so why mess up a good thing? Here on Alfea, she belonged to the powerful Sisterhood of Witches. She had made new friends among the Witches and maybe also among the Faeries, and, as bizarre to her as it was, she found a beautiful woman here who is in love with her. Lastly, she was now a member of the Cat-Witch Guard of Cloud Tower. Shouldn't that mean that she should be protecting these people instead of stealing from them? What offence are any here guilty of to merit her stealing from them? And as for all this stuff she had amassed…, she was behaving like a nasty green and black dragon crouched upon her hoard of treasure waiting for someone who will never come to challenge her and take it. It was really of no use to her when by just squeezing a piece of charcoal in the palm of a plasma lit fist she could produce blue ice-diamonds that were worth several million Solidi apiece – enough to buy all she had stolen many times over. "I'm putting it all back to where it belongs," she decides, feeling satisfaction in arriving at this resolution.


	21. A Merry Chase

**Chapter 21 : A Merry Chase**

Prince Sky and the rest of the heroes of Red Fountain are having fits for, despite maximum security, someone is breaking into the Red Fountain hanger bay and one-by-one hijacking all their fastest F.T.L. racers and leading the whole squadron on a merry high-speed chase through the Alfean skies. Yet, each time they catch up to the stolen ship and board her, they find her on auto-pilot and not even a finger print, boot print or a strand of hair left behind to indicate that anyone had been aboard at all.

Riven and two escorts are on patrol when Sky's voice breaks over the com, "Riven, we have a hijack in progress: R.F.-F.T.L. Racer 86, heading into Sector G, Grid A5. Pursue and apprehend."

"Moving right on it, Sky," replies Riven as the three jets race to the coordinates.

"I don't see a thing," reports Escort 1 upon reaching the coordinates when "Bang, bang! You're all dead!" comes a cattish female voice over the com and suddenly the rogue racer flies overhead setting all three ships vibrating.

"By the Goddess! Where did it come from?" exclaims one of the startled pilots as all watch the racer streaking off into the horizon.

"That was a close shave and a brush cut for sure!" exclaims the other.

Riven and escort race in hot pursuit after the rogue racer. "Racer 86," shouts Riven into the com, "come about and prepare to be boarded."

"Riven?" enquires the female voice. "Riven, is that you, dearest?" and there is a burst of laughter from the two escorts.

"Order!" shouts Riven to the other two. "Darcy, is that you?" he asks.

"Guess again," purrs the female voice.

"Whoever you are in Racer 86, come about and prepare to be boarded!" snarls Riven into the com.

"Aww, Riven, sweetie" replies the female voice with a sad inflection. "Have you forgotten me so soon? Now, I'm really feeling hurt."

"Racer 86, this is your final warning. Comply or be fired upon!" orders Riven.

"Now, now, Riven, temper, temper," warns the rogue pilot. "You don't want to do that, hun. If you fire on me then I have to fire back." Then in a sadder voice, "I would hate to lose such a handsome fellow in a silly old fire-fight. Why, the very thought of it makes my whiskers droop."

"A Cat-Witch?" questions Riven aloud.

"Makes sense," replies Escort 2.

"I'll never tell," replies the female voice sarcastically.

"Racer 86, when we apprehend you, you shall face the severest of consequences," drones Riven, his patience having come to an end.

"Maybe so," replies the voice almost seductively, "but first you have to catch me, babe," and Racer 86 peels off pulling an incredible high-g turn heading south leaving all of Riven's group staring on bug-eyed and mouths agape.

"That was a near ninety degree turn," reports Timmy who is following the high-speed chase on the Red Fountain tracker. "No way is she a Faerie!"

"Got that right!" replies Riven. "That kind of atmospheric turn would squish a Faerie into so much red goo splattered all over the cockpit. Shall we continue pursuit?"

"No," replies Sky. "She's flown into Sector J. That's deep into the Witch no-fly zone. Return to Red Fountain."

"Maybe if the Witches capture her, they'll send her and our racer back to us," says Escort 1.

"Do you know what 'fat chance' means?" asks Riven peeved. "They're more likely to give her a ribbon and a medal for this."

"I think we have to chalk that one up as a write-off," answers Sky. "Come back home."

Meanwhile in the deepest jungle on the Witch side of Alfea, a young woman with raven hair wearing a green and black cat suit is standing a short way from the hijacked Red Fountain racer.

"That wasn't much of a chase," she thinks with an air of disappointment as she removes the voice-disguising mask from her face. "Well, it's at least going to give Riven several sleepless nights wondering about whom he was chasing," she grins. "So…., what's the next adventure?" Then she presses a button on her utility belt and watches Racer 86 lift off on a slow auto-piloted flight back to Red Fountain just a few seconds before she too seems to vanish into thin air.


	22. A Message from Ancient Times

**Chapter 22 : A Message From Ancient Times**

Darcy is curled up on a reclining mat deep in thought but overall as contented as a viper basking in the sunlight while coiled on a hot rock.

"So, Shego has been up to some serious mischief," she muses, while deciding upon whether this should upset her or not. "Well," she ponders, "although the last escapade involved some flirtation with my man Riven, perhaps the results were to my advantage."

Yes, Darcy is still head-over-heels in love with Riven who satisfies a certain something in her dark nature but his arrogance and surliness were beginning to wear heavily upon her nerves. "To see Riven upset and for once being at a loss about what to do is a refreshing change," she thinks, relishing her bit of schadenfreude over Riven's perturbation. She would have loved to have been there to see Riven's expression while Shego's game of cat and mouse was going down. "It's high time some Witch gave him a good kick to his male ego where it hurts and unseats him from his high-flying dragon for a hard tumble. That should have him crawling back to her for salve upon his wounded pride."

Darcy yawns, stretches sinuously and then curls up once more upon her mat. "Yes, Shego has done her a favour – for this time," she thinks. "I may have had to do it myself but why should I get my hands dirty when there is Shego to do the job for me? And anyone who can make those Red Fountain hero wannabies look like fools and send a stinging hornet up Musa's nose at the same time cannot be all that bad," she smiles. "Well," concludes Darcy, "I shall allow Shego her bit of fun with Riven but I shall be keeping a close watch on her. Let her cross the line and she will quickly come to know how swiftly and fatally Darcy strikes when crossed."

Icy is reclining on some pillows in her chamber feeling sad and neglected while the one she loves seems to have abandoned her to go solo on many new adventures. "Well, Shego may need her space," Icy tries to reason, "but I hope someday soon my beloved will take me with her too on a wonderful adventure together," while closing her eyes dreamily.

Stormy is in her room storming. Since Shego's arrival it has become painfully clear to her that she is no longer going to get her way about anything by throwing a temper tantrum. Worst of all, Shego is stealing Icy's attention away from her. From her, who is Icy's Precious Little One who should be first and foremost in Icy's heart and thoughts…, but…, feeling helpless to do anything about it, she storms and then storms some more.

Shego is smarting in places she never knew she could smart and her ears are burning after a harsh reprimand and a sound thrashing at the hand-paws of M'Trika during which M'Trika makes it very clear to Shego that her behaviour over the last while was unacceptable now that she is a member of the Cat-Witch Guard and any other infractions may see her lose her privileges as a member.

"I wouldn't lose sleep over it," consoles Kamala, while wrapping a sisterly arm about Shego's shoulders. "If M'Trika were to revoke the membership of all who at one time or another cut up or created some sort of mischief, the whole Cat-Witch Guard would amount to only a single member. However, you should be well aware now about how seriously M'Trika takes the whole matter of discipline and protocol. Honestly," says Kamala with a grin, "she sometimes gets so up-tight about anything that could tarnish the reputation of the Cat-Witch Guard, it is a wonder she doesn't squeak with every step she takes."

"I can well believe that," replies Shego. "Maybe it would be a good idea to keep out of her way for the next little while."

Shego finds herself bored with too much extra time on her hands. She makes several visits to Magix on both the Witch and Faerie side to check out the action but finds that there is little that she hasn't done on Terra and rejected. Besides, it seems that every time she gets in with a group of people, she can't resist stirring up mischief of some description which, considering M'Trika's current mood, is totally inadvisable.

"Maybe the best thing is to get as far away from everyone as I can and do some exploring of my new home world," thinks Shego as she packs her rucksack and bedroll, dons her safari khakis, high leather swamp boots and pith helmet. She next unfurls a map of Alfea, points to the most isolated area of the jungle she can find and thinks, "Take me there."

Shego is working up a sweat as she swings her machete, hacking her way through the heavy Alfean jungle not caring in the least that she may be going about in circles or not for she knows that she need only think of being back at Cloud Tower and she will be back. Her interest becomes aroused as the jungle before her begins to thin out and then she finds herself on what would seem to be open savannah yet it lacked any of the savannah grasses and low scrub and appeared to be an area covered with a thatch work of interlacing vines. Before her is a hill covered with grasses and some stunted trees but below the layer of ground is a arching something that is definitely not natural as so is the ninety degree overhang of vines from the hilltop to the level upon which she is standing.

Shego makes her way to the overhang and begins to prod the area with her machete which strikes against something hard and metallic. "This is a manmade structure made from Alfeanium," she realizes. "Perhaps some structure abandoned by a long lost civilization."

Shego follows the wall for a little ways probing the vines as she goes until she reaches a spot where her machete buries itself up to the hilt. Shego lights up one fist with green plasma light then pushes the vines aside and enters.

Shego finds herself standing in a gigantic cavern that looks to be some sort of hanger but when she turns around and pans the wall she came through with her light, she finds nothing like a hanger door and the ceiling reveals nothing that opens to the sky. She also wonders how it is that the area is so free of anything that indicates that it was an abode for any animals and that it was also free of any airborne dust and vegetation. Well, hardly anything she notes when her light falls upon the skeletal remains of a bear-like creature that died crouched against the wall under one of the built-in-the-wall tables. "I guess you'll not be telling me any secrets," she says to the green lit skeleton that only stares back at her silently through empty eye sockets. "Maybe you are someone's pet that got left behind or perhaps the vines provide a one-way passage to creatures that are strong enough to push their way in but allow them no way out."

Shego surveys the rest of the cavern. There are tables, the remains of chairs with the seat and back pads gone, empty filing cabinets and on one of the tables a pile of what looks like optical cable designed to be pushed into sockets along the wall and attached to who knows what. On another table is a clutter of gadgets and disassembled gadgets that were all as dead as the bear creature and probably abandoned there for that reason. "My best guess is that this was a communication centre of some sort," she says to herself and then has to laugh out loud when she thinks that it could have been headquarters for some group of ancient telemarketers.

Shego makes her way out of the cavern and comes to realize that she had been there far longer than she thought for the Huntress, the golden sun of Alfea, was already several hours below the horizon and the Hart, Alfea's dwarf blue sun, is making its escape to the north. The triple moons, called the Three Sisters, are filling the sky with golden light and about them blaze a myriad of stars. "It is time to pack it in for the night," she thinks, "but perhaps it is best to set up camp in the cavern where I will be out of danger from any marauding nocturnal predators. Then making her way back inside the cavern, Shego un-slings her rucksack, spreads out her bedroll, sets up her portable stove and aqualizer and sits to a meal of hot buggy broth and traveller's biscuits. She settles into her bedroll and drifts off to sleep with the thought of a reedy, nasal voice whispering in her ear that with her subscription to _Witchy-Poo Fashion's Magazine_ she would also receive a year's supply of Cover-Witch cosmetics that are guaranteed to transform her into the beautiful Witch who catches the handsome Warlock of her dreams. "Get real!" are her last thoughts before falling into deep slumber.

Shego awakes in the morning famished but refreshed. She makes herself a breakfast of boiled grains and dried locust with wild honey and pours from one of her canteens a glass of the thick, brown carob tasting beverage that passes for milk on Alfea.

When she steps out of the cavern, Shego finds the Huntress already above the horizon bathing everything in her golden light – and then something flashes off to one side.

Shego walks towards the light and discovers that the rays of the Huntress are striking against some metal object a little ways within a shallow cave. She bangs against it with the hilt of her machete and the cave resounds with a hollow clang. "It would be easy enough to teleport myself in there," she thinks but stops when it occurs to her that she might end up in a vat of acid, toxic waste or a nest of whatevers that could be looking for an easy meal and decides against it. Instead, she walks along its edge using her plasma fire to melt away and remove more of the mantle of rocky material covering the object until she does come to a hatch. "Well, hatches were meant to be opened," she thinks and turning a wheel that resembles the locking mechanism to a submarine hatch then putting her foot against the wall beside it, pulls and the hatch swings open. There is a loud moaning sound as the air on the outside exchanges with the air on the inside that is so foul and putrid smelling that it has Shego rushing, gagging and retching for the open savannah. "Oh! I shall never say a bad thing about Wade's stink bombs ever again!" are her last thoughts before everything spins about her and goes black.

Shego feels a nudge against her side and then a stronger nudge followed by the sound of flapping and then something perching on her arm. She opens her eyes and looks into the beaky face of the Alfean equivalent of a vulture that is looking back at her as if trying to decide whether she is close enough to dead to start eating and whether it wanted to dine first on lady's fingers, a chewy eyeball or maybe just skip the entrées altogether and head directly to the main course at the seat of the matter. "Out of here!" screams Shego as she springs to her feet and disperses the flock of vultures gathered about her sending them squawking a screaming into the air – some more than others as a blast of plasma from her singes more than a few tail feathers. "Pech!" says Shego aloud. "I stink worse than I don't know what. I guess I can't clean myself very well here," and transports herself to the sonic shower in the Trix' apartment to freshen herself and send her tunic down the laundry shoot.

Showered and dressed in a fresh tunic, Shego steps out of the washroom to the sound of Middle-Eastern music pulsing to a heavy dance rhythm and the sound of chiming finger cymbals. She enters the living room to find there Icy in her raven haired and golden honey skinned guise and dressed in a bedlah dancing before an ecstatic Stormy who is curled up on a couch looking on as she snaps her fingers and warbles and trills in her sweet soprano a song extolling the beauty and grace of the dancer. Shego looks on for only a minute and before being noticed she whisks herself back to the savanna and the mysteries of the new-found cave.

Shego dons her air mask, switches on her electric torch and with an audio-video recording device at the ready she heads through the open hatch. Again, the floor is free of dust and debris and etched with writing she cannot recognise. She spies a spiral staircase and figuring that anything of importance will be located on the top floor, she makes her way upwards. The stairs end at the entrance of a large room which upon its walls are glowing faintly pulsing and strobing lights. The light of her torch then falls upon a central chair and console where Shego sees someone's shoulders and arms. Shego rushes to the chair and finds there only the withered corpse of a woman – she thinks – dressed in a blue uniform and what remained of her red hair scattered over her shoulders. Before the dead woman is a screen belonging to what Shego thinks is a communication device and her hand is covering a switch. "I think she is indicating the turn-on switch," thinks Shego. "I don't think it likely to be the detonator for a bomb… at least that is what I would do if I wanted some future someone to find a final message."

Shego tries to gently move the dead woman's hand from over the switch but it turns into powder and then the rest of her corpse collapses into itself and into a pile of dust but it activates the screen which begins to display its message. Before Shego is the face of a middle-aged woman with the carrot-red hair of Kim Possible and the same type of vaulted, two-toned lips as Kim and hers but the face has the high cheekbones, gently pointed chin and enormous blue eyes akin to Icy's and even more so Bloom's.

« Can you make out anything about what she is saying? » Shego sends to Pree the Faerie of Thought.

« Regretfully, not a word, » replies Pree.

« But I thought you understood all languages, » says Shego, disappointed.

« I understand thoughts which are universal and independent of any spoken forms of whatever language, but this recording is only audio and video. There are no thought patterns recorded with this message that I can latch onto. »

Shego watches as a blond haired man with grey and silver flecked eyes and wearing a similar uniform comes into view to talk with the woman. After a few words with her, he gently caresses her cheek, leans over to kiss her forehead and then walks out of view.

« Who might have a clue? » asks Shego.

« Try Icy. She is an expert on many languages and she has also been burning to go out on an adventure with you. I'm sure that she will be eager to help you any way she can. » sends Pree.

Shego is staring into the screen as another woman enters into view wearing a blue and yellow cat suit and with raven hair down to her waist. The women exchange a few words and then the new woman turns to look fully into the screen and Shego finds herself looking into the face of a Faerie duplicate of herself. Then she too walks out of view and the last few seconds are of the red-headed woman reaching towards the screen and then it goes blank.

"Damn me for a fool!" shouts Shego out loud.

« What? » asks Pree, sounding startled.

« I haven't recorded any of this, » moans Shego, « so we may have just lost two pieces of critical information. »

Shego starts the audio-video recorder rolling, then holding her breath that this was not one of these messages that played once then self-destructed, she passes her hand over the switch and breathes a sigh of relief as the message restarts and plays out in its entirety as Shego's recorder captures everything on the screen.

Shego makes her way back down the stairs to the hatch and seals it shut, making doubly sure that it was secure. Then, pausing for a moment to calm herself, she blinks back to the Trix' apartment.

Shego finds Icy in her study. "Icy," asks Shego, "I would like you to take a look at something and give me your opinion of it."

"Certainly, my love," replies Icy. "Anything for you."

Shego places the recorder on Icy's work table so both could watch the screen and presses playback. The recording has barely begun when Icy gasps, places her hand over her mouth, and looks up to Shego with startled eyes.


	23. Assembling the Team

**Chapter 23 : Assembling The Team**

"What's the matter?" asks Shego, concerned.

"Nothing I want to comment upon until I'm certain," replies Icy. "Where and when did you record this?"

"Just a few moments ago," says Shego, pulling a map out of her rucksack and spreading it out on Icy's desk. "About here. I found ruins and possibly what's left of some sort of spaceship."

"That's near the North-South border between the Faerie and Witch sides of Alfea but as far west from here as possible," says Icy, "and much further than I can either fly or teleport. I want to see the site but first you will have to do something for me."

Icy vanishes for a few moments. When she returns to her study she is carrying what looks to be two large valises.

"What are those?" asks Shego.

"Something highly illegal if we're caught with them," replies Icy, "but, under the circumstance, worth the risk. They are portable long-range transporti. I need you to set one up at the site while I set up the other here. But first, you must swear to me absolute silence about the site and anything you've seen."

"Why?" asks Shego.

"Because, my love, you have discovered something that may bring peace or trigger the mother of all wars on Alfea," replies Icy, her expression dead serious but, for the first time, her eyes registering fear.

"I had no idea it could be that serious, so yes, I shall not breathe a word to anyone," promises Shego, disturbed by the news and Icy's sudden look of fear. "Do you have any idea about what the message is about?"

"Not a clue," shrugs Icy. "It sounds like she is speaking in some form of Alfean – possibly Ancient Alfean – but I cannot say for sure. We will need to find someone with expertise in that."

"Perhaps Miss Griffin?" suggests Shego.

"Not a chance!" snorts Icy. "She may be an expert on Ancient Witchspeak but I doubt she could say even 'boom-boom' in Ancient Alfean." Then after pausing a moment she says, "Our best bet would be Miss Faragonda but I really don't want that old busybody involved in this until we know for a fact what we are dealing with here.

« Tecna, » whispers Pree in Shego's mind.

"Do you think Tecna could understand it?" Shego asks Icy.

"An excellent choice," replies Icy. "Even if she does not have any direct knowledge of it, I'm sure she could use her analytical skills to crack it. But I doubt that we will find her in a cooperative mood after what has gone down the last few weeks."

"Let me handle that," says Shego. "I'm sure I can persuade her to help us," and Icy regards her with a raised eyebrow.

A few days later, Tecna comes out from her early morning shower to find a raven-haired woman in a black and green cat suit curled up comfortably on her sofa.

"Good morning, Tecna," says Shego, standing up to greet her. "How are you this morning?"

"I'm fine," replies Tecna coldly. "How did you get in here and what do you want?" she asks in clipped High Alfean.

Shego is about to take offence at Tecna's tone of voice when she recalls Icy warning her that Tecna's manner of speaking may at times sound rude and abrupt but should not be construed as such and to keep any dialogue with her short, direct and to the point.

"I teleported myself here," says Shego, deciding to follow Icy's advice, "and I am here because I and possibly the whole of Alfea need your help. I have found something that Icy says may bring peace or trigger global war on Alfea. We need your skills to break a new language and to verify all that I have found before any word of it leaks out."

"Still, why should I help you?" asks Tecna, suspicious of Shego's intentions. "Why should I set myself up to be kicked around and possibly killed by you or The Trix?"

"Come off it, Tecna!" drones Shego, now beginning to lose her patience. "Who was it who saved your butt twice and those of your friends as well from The Trix? In my book, you now owe me."

Tecna has to admit that Shego has a valid point and, while part of her wants to trust her, another part of her is setting all manner of red warning flags. Finally, her sense of trust wins over. "Fine, I trust you so I will help you but if I am to go anywhere near Cloud Tower or have to interact with The Trix then I insist that Bloom and Flora shall come with me."

"But…," stammers Shego.

"Those are_ my_ conditions," interjects Tecna. "Take them or leave them."

"Okay," says Shego, realizing that Tecna has backed her somewhat into a corner. "But I want them to swear to me that everything they see or hear on the site will remain top secret until I say otherwise. I know that once you have seen what I have found you will understand the need for secrecy. And, Tecna, you need not fear any mischief from The Trix for, believe me, if they try to stir up trouble or try to harm you, Bloom or Flora in any way then I will make them regret it sorely," and lights up a fist with green plasma fire to give added strength to her words.

The four are soon assembled and together they take the transportus to Cloud Tower and then up to The Trix' penthouse.

"Why, Tecna," says Icy, her voice dripping with sarcasm as Shego and the Faeries enter her apartment, "so nice that you have come to help us. And Bloom, so nice to see you too."

"Believe me, Icy," says Bloom through clenched teeth, "I'm not here by choice," and she and Icy glare at each other.

Shego, seeing that tempers are already beginning to boil, walks up to Icy and wrapping an arm about her waist and leaning her forehead against her head whispers softly into her ear, "Ishandra, my sweet, have you forgotten that it is we who are asking the Faeries for their help? I would strongly suggest then that you wipe that bitchy expression from off your face, put on a pleasant smile, and talk to them in a civilized manner."

"Icy's blushing?" muses Bloom. "I would really like to know what that's all about. It's surely a moment that should have been caught on film."

"Stormy," says Shego, turning to the Witch of Storms, "I believe you have something to say to both Tecna and Bloom."

"Tecna, Bloom," stammers Stormy, while looking over to Shego who nods for her to continue, "I want to apologize to you for my behaviour the last few times we met and also for hurting you."

"I forgive you," replies Bloom, "and I'm sure Tecna does too."

Then, unexpectedly, Stormy walks up to Tecna. "Tecna, do you think that you and I could become friends?" she asks timidly. "I was not altogetherly lying when I said that I love you. Well, maybe not 'love' but certainly 'like'. You would be the first Faerie I've ever had for a friend. In fact, you would be my first friend ever because I've never had one," she sniffs as tears start running down her cheeks.

"Poor child!" thinks Flora as she feels herself being washed over by wave upon wave of sorrow and loneliness emanating from Stormy. "Tecna, please say 'yes'."

Tecna decides that diplomacy is the best course. "I shall consider becoming your friend," she tells Stormy, "if you can be on your best behaviour for the next few days," and Stormy's face is suddenly angelic with a sweet smile and the light of hope shining bright blue in her eyes.

"Wise decision, Tecna," think Flora and Bloom while Icy frowns questioningly at her Precious Little One.

"Shall we get going?" asks Icy.

"Yes," says Shego, "you and Stormy first, then I and Tecna, Bloom and Flora follow up the rear.

One by one they start passing through the beam of the transportus. Bloom waits until Shego has gone through and then holds Tecna and Flora back.

"What do you make of it?" Bloom asks the two.

"I sense no deception," says Flora, "but something really serious is going down here. She's trying to hide it with sarcasm and bravado but I'm registering extremely elevated levels of anxiety and fear from Icy."

"If Icy is registering fear and anxiety then it has to be serious," says Bloom. "I have never known Icy to show fear of anything."

"True," says Tecna, "and I'm wondering where Darcy is at. The Trix stick together like glue so her absence does not bode well."

"A good point," notes Bloom suddenly aware of the absence of the brunette Witch. "Well, let's go along with this for the moment but let's also take precautions and guard each other's back. Now we had better get going before the others become suspicious."


	24. Base Camp

**Chapter 24 : Base Camp**

When Tecna, Flora and Bloom arrive on the site, they find the Witches in a huddle and seeming not to have noticed the minute's delay before they arrived.

Shego announces that the Comm Station would become their base camp. The Faeries enter and find that it has already been set up as such. There are light standards set about the perimeter illuminating the whole area. In the corner are two sizable food keeps appropriately stencilled as "Witch" and "Faerie" in both official languages. On the floor are six witch style sleeping mats. Also provided are a portable stove and an aqualizer and in the far corner two sanitary units.

Flora's attention is drawn to the skeleton of the bearlike creature whose bones still remained undisturbed under the table where Shego found them.

"Do you have any idea what that is?" asks Shego, coming up to Flora from behind.

"No," says Flora, "but I do not possess an encyclopaedic knowledge of all creatures that exist in the universe. I will have to do some research. All I can tell you for sure from the aura left about it is that it was very old and sick before it died but did not suffer for long."

While Icy unpacks her kit, Stormy is sitting on one of the righted and dusted off chairs bored and wondering why both Icy and Shego made her swear on pain of death to absolute secrecy about the place. "It's just one big, empty room," she thinks sourly. "Big whoop-dee-doo!" then, having enough of this, gets up to go see what her adopted Faerie is doing.

Stormy finds Tecna in front of a table covered with wires and junk. One of these pieces of junk Tecna has floating and spinning in the air against a green wire grid which seems to be taking wafer-thin slices of this what-ever and then reconstructing a transparent image of it so one could see its internal workings. "What are you doing?" she asks Tecna.

"I'm making a virtual 3-D reconstruction of this piece of equipment," Tecna explains.

"Do you know what it is?" asks Stormy, her interest being peeked.

"I would say that it is a very ancient piece of technology called a hard drive," Tecna tells her.

"What's that?" asks Stormy.

"It is a mass storage device," explains Tecna.

"Something like a True-Vid book?" asks Stormy. "What's it about?"

"I don't know," says Tecna. "We don't have a complete book here – only the part that stores the data. But this storage device appears to be broken. Do you see this here? That's a motor. It spins these plates here at a very high rate of speed creating a cushion of air that this little thing with wings floats on, reading the data on the plates and transmitting it through these wires here. What we now need to find or build is a device that will translate this data into sound, pictures or something else that we can understand."

"And we have to repair this motor?" asks Stormy.

"Exactly," confirms Tecna, "… and you know, you may be able to assist me with this."

"How so?" asks Stormy, excited that someone is asking for her help.

"I don't have a power source for it here," says Tecna, "but… it appears to be powered with lightning. It seems to me that that is your area of expertise. Perhaps together we can get this to tell us its story," and Stormy looks at her smiling with her eyes glowing.

Icy has finished arranging her area to her satisfaction, when she notices that Stormy is in an animated conversation with Tecna and begins to feel that this Faerie and her Precious Little One are getting to be too chummy to her liking. "But then again," she thinks, "if Tecna is willing to take on some of the task of supervising Stormy, that would lift some of the burden from both Shego and her so they might spend some quality time together. That might turn out for the best after all. Stormy's interest in Tecna may break her out of her shell and teach her how to interact with the rest of society without reducing every encounter to a raging, yowling and hissing all-out catfight."

Bloom is unpacking her kit when she notices the odd way that the sleeping mats have been arranged in rows of three with the Witches along the first row and the Faeries along the second. What also disturbs her is that her mat has been placed below Icy's. "Is this Icy's non-too-subtle hint that she believes that she has her under the heel of her foot?" she wonders. Then she notices that Flora is below Shego and Tecna is below Stormy and wonders how much of this was planned and how much is just coincidence.

Bloom decides that a snack and some fresh air before retiring are in good order. She grabs a nutrition bar and some juice from the food keep and exits the Comm Station to find Shego just a little ways off doing some form of slow-motion exercises.

"Hello, Princess," Shego greets her. "Would you be up for a bit of sparring?"

"Not my kind of a fight," replies Bloom, feeling herself blushing. "What about a friendly Dragon Fire versus Plasma Fire bout?" and a flaming red ball appears over her hand.

"Sometime," replies Shego, "but not here and now. There are too many valuable archaeological artefacts about that could be destroyed. Maybe some other time."

"So, this is the Dragon Fire that Icy wants so badly?" asks Shego. "She keeps going on and on about it and how it will make her the most powerful Witch in the universe and how she will use it not only as a weapon but also as healing and communications tools."

"I use my Dragon Fire to heal but also for communications?" asks Bloom. "I've never heard of Dragon Fire being used for that."

"Well, Icy claims that she is the expert on the subject," replies Shego. "She also claims that you have stolen her Dragon Fire from her."

"That's absurd!" rebuffs Bloom, miffed. "I can no more steal and keep her sliver of Dragon Fire than she can steal and keep mine. She does not seem to have caught on that my sliver of Dragon Fire will return to me no matter how many attempts she makes to steal it away from me."

"So, that's what happened the last time," says Shego. "But her sliver of Dragon Fire?" she questions, her eyebrows knit.

"Yes," confirms Bloom. "You see, there are several types of Dragon Fire. Icy has the power of the Ice Dragons but I have the power of the Fire Dragons."

« Ecco! » announces Pree who has mentally joined the conversation. « That is why you must have Icy reassess her research so she will discover it for herself. »

"So, why not just tell her that she has her Dragon Fire and put an end to the fighting?" asks Shego, looking confused.

"If only it were that easy!" exclaims Bloom. "The vast majority of Witches will never take anything on blind faith. You have to either prove to them the truth of what you are saying or allow them to find out the truth of anything for themselves. It is something I have come to learn the hard way. Believe me, I want to see this fighting come to an end but it is destined to keep on forever until Icy gets her proof."

"I'll do what I can to nudge her along the proper path," says Shego.

Meanwhile, Bloom notices something oddly familiar about the way Shego's lips are moving and drops her interpreter spell to hear…, "English? You speak English!" she gasps.

"Yes, I do," replies Shego, surprised. "English is my mother tongue. But how do you come to speak it? Icy told me you were from some planet called Sparx. I expected you to speak Sparxian or something else but I would never have expected English."

"Well, that is partly right," says Bloom. "I was born on the Planet of Sparx in the Province of Domino where the Royal Palace stood. I was still an infant when a trix of Witches called The Ancestresses attacked and destroyed Sparx. It was the quick thinking of my sister, Daphne, who sent me with the Dragon Fire to Terra before the Witches could find me and end my life. Because of this, I grew up first learning English and then Spanish."

"Where did you grow up?" asks Shego.

"In the City of Gardenia, California which is not too far from Los Angeles. What about you?" replies Bloom.

"I was born in Go City which is a suburb of Middleton, Colorado where I lived with my parents and three brothers," says Shego.

"I wish I knew my parents," says Bloom sadly, "and had brothers too."

"Don't ever wish for brothers," winces Shego. "No sooner will you have them then you will want to be rid of them. Believe me, brothers are a real pain where you never had an ache."

"I still find it strange that you speak English," says Bloom.

"Well, Princess, I found it strange to learn that Icy speaks English as well and very cultured English at that," replies Shego.

"You're kidding me!" exclaims Bloom. "I wonder why it is, then, that the three of us are here and now," and Shego nods in agreement.

Flora is awoken early the next morning to the sound of metal clanging against metal and the pain of local plant life in agony and reaching out to her for help. She makes her way out of the Comm Station only to have to duck fast when the flashing blade of a machete whooshes over her head and her nerves are once again set a-jangle with cries for help.

"That was close, my pretty one," says Shego, who is standing at the vine-covered entrance, machete in hand.

"What are you doing?" demands Flora with a pained edge to her voice.

"I'm trying to clear away some of these blasted vines from the entrance," replies Shego huffily, "but it seems that no sooner do I hack away a swath of them, more seem to magically replace them," and once more swings her machete slashing away more of the vines while Flora winces and groans in agony.

"What's with you?" asks Shego. "You are acting as if you were the one being hacked."

"That is because in a very real way I am," groans Flora glassy-eyed. "I'm an empath so, with every slash you make, I can feel the vines hurting and sense their pleas for help."

"So, what am I supposed to do?" asks Shego, exasperated.

"You could ask the vines to move aside and clear a passageway to the entrance," Flora tells her.

"Tell me you're joking," laughs Shego. "Are you asking me to say to them, 'Sorry for disturbing you but could you please move you green what-evers out of the way because you are blocking the entrance,' or some such?"

"Exactly," replies Flora, "like this."

Flora walks up to the vines with a glowing hand caressing them and in a voice reminiscent of peat moss, primeval forests and laughing brooks says to them, "Easy, my sweets. No one is going to harm you any more but I need you to move up and aside here and clear a passage." Then, as if they wanted nothing more than to grant every wish of the Empathic Faerie of Nature, the vines quickly obey not only clearing the entrance but also revealing the door that had been hidden behind their leafy curtain.

"Well, I'll be darned!" gasps Shego wide-eyed and dumbfounded.


	25. O, My Goddess!

**Chapter 25 : O, My Godess!**

"Shall we get to breakfast?" asks Shego.

"Yes! I'm starving," replies Flora as she and Shego enter the Comm Station through the new pathway.

The two find breakfast already spread out on a long trestle table. The Faeries sit to dine on fruit, grains, nuts and flower petals but the Witches are delving into bowls filled with long, sickly white maggots wiggling and writhing in a blood-red sauce. Flora struggles to ignore it but it finally gets to be too much for her, so, excusing herself, she picks up her plate and heads for another of the tables and Bloom and Tecna follow suit.

"What's the matter, Flora?" sneers Icy as Flora and the others leave the table. I thought that the Faerie of Nature would enjoy a nice bowlful of fresh vermicelli," and she and Stormy burst into raucous laughter until they notice Shego who is giving them a cold and disapproving look and the laughter abruptly dies.

After breakfast, both the Witches and the Faeries burn a few MEUs (Magic Energy Units) to quickly clear off the table and do up the dishes then all follow Shego as she leads them out of the Comm Station to the shallow cave and then through the hatchway of the spaceship with electric torches lit and audio-video recorders rolling. "We have to go this way," she tells them, indicating the spiral stairway that leads to the control centre and they all begin to climb, however, within a few moments of reaching the control centre, everyone is breathing through her mouth and looking distressed over the rank smelling air.

"I'm sorry about this," apologizes Shego. "I thought that having the hatch open would have freshened the air or at least made it bearable."

"Huhéðe!" says Flora in Alfean with a magical wave of her hand and the air turns as fresh as a mountain breeze and all breathe a sigh of relief.

The group makes its way to the command console where a screen is located. Tecna seats herself before it and starts to scan the control panel. "Here is the control to start the recording," Shego tells her, pointing out the switch. "It starts, stops and restarts the same message over and over. I have not touched anything else lest I break something."

"Well, let's have a look see at this message," says Tecna as the others crowd around to watch. Tecna waves her hand over the activation switch and the face of a redheaded woman manifests itself on the screen and she, Flora and Stormy let out a gasp of shock and surprise. "O, My Goddess!" cries Flora, "it's he-he-Her!"

"Is this some sort of Witch hoax?" demands Tecna, her indigo eyes burning into Icy's.

"I assure you that it isn't," replies Icy, obviously as shaken as the others. "I had nothing to do with it. In fact, it was Shego who discovered it."

"What? Her who?" asks Bloom but Shego just shrugs and is turning to Icy too for an explanation."

"This woman… this woman," stammers Icy, desperately struggling to keep control of her trembling voice, "is the very image of The Goddess."

"I don't think that you understand the significance of what you have discovered, Shego," Tecna tells her. "It would rock the Planet of Alfea to her foundations if word ever got out that we discovered the Temple of The Goddess which turns out to be a spaceship and that She, The Goddess, is dead!"

"I see," says Shego, now understanding the dreadful impact of what she has uncovered. "Why can't we rebury this under a mound of rock, forget we ever saw anything, and swear to each other to take this secret with us to our graves?"

"I think it would be like trying to stuff the genie back into the lamp once it's been set free," replies Icy. "We now have to accept responsibility for this find and make sure we have our research done and our facts cold straight before anything of this leaks out."

"Stormy, do you now understand why we must keep all of this an absolutly top secret?" Icy asks her.

"Yes," whispers Stormy, her voice shaking and, for once, profoundly disturbed and fearful.

"Tecna," asks Icy, "do you think you can decode this language and find out what this final message is really about?"

"It is not a question of if I can," replies Tecna. "It is a matter of that I must. I shall get working on it right away."

"Bloom, this transcends any arguments between you and me, The Trix and The Winx, or any arguments between Witches and Faeries," Icy tells her. "We need to cooperate and root out the truth of all this before is sparks a global war."

"I solemnly agree," replies Bloom firmly, her blue eyes reflecting the same light of fear and anxiety as burning in Icy's.


	26. Grasping the Situation

**Chapter 26 : Grasping the Situation**

"Easy, everyone, easy!" says Flora. "We all need fto calm down and look at this rationally," and unfolding her Charmix wings wafts a soothing scent into the air.

"I agree with her," says Tecna. "We need to avoid jumping to conclusions that could lead to disaster. It is critical that we take a methodical, step-by-step approach to everything."

"A wise decision," puts in Icy. "I think that now we should all exit and leave Tecna in peace to work on decoding this language."

Leaving Tecna to work at the console, the others begin working on freeing more of the ship from its rocky mantle. Bloom first uses her Red Dragon Fire to heat the rock then Icy blasts it with her White Ice Dragon Fire and the shell fractures into small sections so she, Stormy, Bloom and Flora can levitate them and move them aside while Shego uses her brute strength to remove some of the thinner sections of the crust.

"This ship is gigantic!" exclaims Bloom. "It's going to take us forever to free it."

"We may not want to free it completely," says Shego. "This mantle of rock may be preserving it and we need to keep it partly buried to prove, if need be, that it was buried as we say and back up the audio-video we've been recording."

"Spoken like a Witch," replies Bloom, "but in this case, I agree."

"Girls, I need some help here," calls Tecna, coming from the hatch some two hours later.

"What is it?" asks Icy.

"I have found a ship's schematic," explains Tecna, "and what I think is a library database. It would help me to crack this language much more quickly if I could get access to it but it seems to work on a different power source akin to electric cells that have become depleted. Perhaps we can locate and recharge them?"

"Yes," says Bloom. "But this ship is gigantic. Where in all this would they be located?"

"They're on the floor below the helm," says Stormy. "We passed by the door to them on the way up."

"How do you know that?" asks Flora.

"Well, duhhh, Buttercup," drawls Stormy. "What else would a door with a large lightning bolt painted on it be an entrance to?"

All make their way to the floor below the helm and Stormy points out the door with the large lightning bolt on it. Like the outside hatch door, this one also has a submarine style locking mechanism but even though the wheel is easy enough to turn, it still requires Shego's strength to open it.

Tecna is the first to enter and is soon flitting excitedly about examining the gadgets and gizmos inside. Calling the others to join her, she says to them, "It is what I expected. The ship is powered by some sort of ion exchange cells but they are all depleted. Stormy, this is your time to shine."

Tecna has Stormy fly with her to a catwalk several metres above them and the others soon join them. "This is the main feed into the cells, it would seem," says Tecna. "And here are the power gages which are now showing all the cells to be flat. Okay, Stormy, positive here and negative there. I want you to start charging them slowly. We'll start by charging them to half capacity."

"Piece of cake," smiles Stormy and, placing a hand on each of the spots indicated by Tecna, pushes her energy through them.

Everyone looks on expectantly as the gages begin to move first reluctantly but then with greater speed until the indicators suddenly jump two points past the limit set by Tecna and Bloom cries, "Easy, Stormy, easy!"

"Bloom, don't start getting on my back," snarls Stormy. "I'm a Storm-Witch which means I know a lot more than a thing or two about electricity."

"You don't need to get huffity about it," replies Bloom defensively. "I was just warning you to be careful."

"Gurr!" growls Stormy under her breath but before she can say anything more, the ship suddenly starts springing to life as more gadgets and gizmos start whirring and beeping and the room is flooded with bright light.

"Perfect, Stormy!" praises Tecna, smiling at her.

"Do you see how well things go when Witches and Faeries cooperate?" adds Flora in her sweet and colourful flowers voice.

« Yuck! » Shego hears, capturing Icy's thoughts. « Someone please gag her with a lily bulb and put her out of my misery! »

Shego comes between Icy and Flora, puts an arm about both their shoulders, and smiling says to them, "Well, I think that it's wonderful to have Witches and Faeries working together, don't you Icy…? Icy?"

"What ever you say, my love," huffs Icy then floats down to the main floor.

Meanwhile, Tecna stares on wearing the wide-eyed expression of one who has died and entered into techno-geek heaven.

"Tecna?" says Shego. "Don't you have work to get back to?"

"Yes," says Tecna, snapped out of her dream state. "Right away."

"May I come too?" asks Stormy.

"Sure," replies Tecna, "just don't get underfoot," and both fly back to the helm.

The next few days are extreme boredom for Icy, Shego, Bloom and Flora while Tecna and Stormy lock themselves away devoting all their time to work on cracking the mystery language. Icy and Shego go to spend a lot of their time out somewhere in the jungle doing Goddess knows what and leaving Bloom and Flora together to make idle chatter. Then, about ten days later, Icy and Shego return early – Icy red-faced and angry and Shego also steaming under the collar.

"I'm going for some fresh air," announces Shego.

"I'll come with you," says Bloom and they both leave the Comm Station.

"What happened between you and Icy?" asks Bloom when they are a little ways into the jungle.

"Witch on Witch business," snarls Shego, annoyed.

"Whoa!" thinks Bloom. "I have a feeling I don't want to go there."

The two walk on in silence for a bit then Bloom breaks the silence by popping the question that had been on her mind.

"I haven't seen Darcy about. What has she been up to?" she asks, trying to be casual about it.

"I told her to go get lost," replies Shego coldly.

"What?" questions Bloom surprised.

"Well, not in so many words," says Shego with a little less edge to her voice. "I convinced her that she has been working too hard so she should take a long vacation somewhere. Then I gave her three blue-ice diamonds and suggested that she should pick up Riven and the two should sail away to some far away exotic or pleasure planet or wherever else far, far away that young lovers go to be alone and not to worry herself about coming back to Alfea or Cloud Tower anytime soon."

"Well, I'm not going to miss her," laughs Bloom, "but Musa's not going to be happy that she probably did take Riven in tow to some place far away for a romantic adventure."

"It is because of Musa that I sent Darcy away," says Shego. "The work we're doing here is far too important and I was afraid that, if Tecna brought Musa along, I would constantly be intervening and having to break-up catfights between them and we can't afford to waste time with that. Besides, with Riven gone, Musa should be encouraged to look elsewhere for a soul-mate. This lovers' triangle among Musa, Darcy and Riven is only going to end in tragedy for all. Darcy and Riven deserve each other so let them go to that romantic hideaway to enjoy each other's company and pray they don't ever come back."

"You and I think alike," says Bloom. "That's why she and Stella did not also get the invite to the site."

"I can understand Musa," says Shego, frowning, "but why exclude Stella?"

"Because, if you want to keep anything secret, you don't want Stella involved," says Bloom. "Don't get me wrong but, for as much as I love her for her friendship, loyalty, and fighting skills, I also know only too well her inability to keep her mouth shut about anything. She is the worst busy-body and gossip on Alfea. If she lived for anytime on Terra, the joke would be that the three fastest means of communication are: Television, telephone, and tella-Stella," and Shego's bad humour dissolves in a burst of laughter.

"But I don't want to hear any dumb blonde jokes about her," says Bloom, frowning and shaking her fist at Shego. "Stella is anything but dumb. She has a social network next to none and time and time again she has given us a timely heads-up about oncoming danger and events and has put us in contact with people when we needed them whom we didn't even know existed or had such-and-such skills."

"No dumb blonde jokes," laughs Shego, holding her hands up in defence. "Besides, she might be just the person we will need later on. By the way, have you ever been in love…?"


	27. Finally, A Breakthrough

**Chapter 27 : Finally, A Breakthrough**

{Inspired by Lady Terade}

Flora watches as Shego and Icy enter the Comm Station, raise a privacy shield about them and although she cannot hear a word or see a thing the dominant vibes coming through the shield are ones of raw anger coupled with a sense of burning passion and deep betrayal. Then, Icy bursts through the shield crying and running out the door not seeming to even notice that Flora is there. The shield dissolves leaving Shego standing alone with a frustrated expression on her face. Then, sighing heavily, she says, "I'd better go after her," and exits the Comm Station. "Icy, come back here and be reasonable! Icy!" are the last words Flora hears clearly as Shego's and Icy's voices become more distant and indistinct.

"Some new seed has been planted," thinks Flora, "and even though it has begun to germinate, it's fighting for its very existence. But I have the undeniable feeling that it is good seed and if it lives to mature and blossom, its flower will be exquisite. I shall quietly try to help it along where I can."

"Tecna's nice," Stormy muses. "This work we are doing is interesting and she gives me meaningful things to do. She also seems to value my opinions and observations unlike Icy and Shego who treat me like a child and are always shouting at me, putting me down, and bossing me about."

Bloom is sitting on her reclining mat that she has dragged outside with her wings spread to the golden light of the Huntress and staring deep in thought into the jungle. "I fear greatly for Flora," she thinks. "Flora has always been closest to nature and the ways of The Goddess. Shego's discovery has come as a profound shock to her. That and the uneasy truce we have with the Witches must be an enormous emotional burden. I shall have to watch and guard her carefully lest she crack and break under the stress. "Then," she thinks, swallowing hard, "I'm going to have to arrange a sit-down and a serious heart-to-heart talk with Icy and Shego."

"This has got to be the worst hairball I've ever been in!" thinks Shego near her limit of frustration. "I don't know if I can put up with any more of Icy's outbursts. But I must snap her out of this and get her back to being focused on more important matters."

"She's amazing!" thinks Tecna of Stormy. "Who would have guessed that she has such power and talent. She seems to possess a way to foresee or see behind things in a way that I just can't. I wonder how much the others of The Trix know of this?"

"I want to die!" sobs Icy, off some ways into the jungle alone and crying. "If I can't be with and loved by my love then I don't want to live at all."

Since Stormy has restored power to the ship's electric cells, more of its floors have become accessible through a vast network of elevators and lifts. One of the new chambers discovered by the Faeries is a boardroom that they have decided to take over and use as their daily briefing and meeting room.

"What progress have you made in cracking this mystery language, Tecna?" asks Bloom, kicking off the meeting and getting directly to the subject that is burning in all their minds.

"We've cracked it," announces Tecna and all smile excitedly, "but thus far only the grammar and syntax. I have Stormy monitoring a program that is going through what's in the library database and building a lexicon."

"You did it!" cry Bloom and Flora together. "Way to go!"

"We did it," corrects Tecna. "If it were not for Stormy, I would have never reached this far so quickly."

"Stormy?" asks Bloom incredulously.

"But how did you get a toe-in?" breaks in Flora.

"We started by looking for things that are true no matter where in the universe you are," explains Tecna. "The first thing we found was a periodic table which gave us the numbering system, which is base ten, the names of all the elements, and such words as _metal, light, heavy, element, radioactive, _and such. Then Stormy somehow found a series of illustrated children's primers from which we figured out such sentences as_ Here is a cat, Here is a dog, This is Flora, Flora is a girl, This is Boko, Boko is a boy, _and so on. We also found the words for_ dictionary, grammar, _and_ thesaurus, _which lead us to other books and then everything obtained a critical mass and began to snowball."

"Is it some form of Alfean?" asks Bloom.

"No, it's not even close," says Tecna. "It had me so badly stymied at times that I didn't know where to turn but then Stormy would say to me that it went this way and not that way. I would tell her that her idea was illogical but she would insist that I try it her way. So, figuring that since I was stuck anyway, it did no harm to test out her theory and – lo and behold – things would just fall into place. But she did this time and time again not only with this new language but with other things. And all she could say when I asked her how she did it was, 'It felt right,'."

"It seems to me that Stormy has a highly developed sense of what on Terra we call feminine intuition," laughs Bloom and Flora also smiles.

"Well, it seems like witchcraft to me," replies Tecna. "But here is another kicker for you to try to get your heads around. Have you ever wondered why there is a whole corpus of words that do not seem to fit or belong in Alfean?" and the others nod. "I thought that because many of these words exist in this language that we were dealing with some form of Ancient Alfean. Then Stormy points out that we were going about it backwards and that it was Alfean that had incorporated these words into itself and because they are foreignisms, their form did not change or mutate throughout the years as did native Alfean words. For example, if you take the word for_ aeroplane,_ syllable for syllable in this language it means _air glider. _ _Lazer _means_ ordered light _and so too all the strange words in present Alfean for the sciences break down in this language as _healing knowledge, planet measuring, angle knowledge, pebble counting, _and so on.

"Oww! This is giving me a headache," groans Flora, putting her hand to her forehead.

"Me too," says Bloom, grabbing the tabletop as if trying to brace herself as the room spins about her.

"I can believe it!" agrees Tecna. "But to the point, I expect that we will have a presentable preliminary translation of this last message by mid-day tomorrow if you would all like to meet me at the helm along with the Witches."

"I'll inform them," replies Bloom and Tecna and Flora nod.


	28. Kimira Moonstone

**Chapter 28 : Kimira Moonstone**

It is the afternoon of the following day. The three Witches and three Faeries have gathered at the helm and standing behind Tecna all excited yet anxious about the message.

"This is a preliminary translation," states Tecna, "but it should be enough to get a clear idea of the message. Witches, I'm sorry that the translation will be in High Alfean. It is the only language my programs at hand are equipped to handle unless I link to the great database on Binos which is a bad idea to do from here if we wish to maintain any sort of security."

"We'll manage," says Icy. "Let's get this rolling."

"I also want to assure you that this will be the first time that Stormy and I have heard this message and we have not tampered with it in any way."

"Yeah, fine," growls Icy. "Would you, pleeeze, just get on with it."

Tecna waves her hand over the start sensor and the already familiar face of the redheaded woman appears on the screen.

"Damn!" starts the message and, despite themselves, both the Witches and Faeries give out a burst of laughter. "This is my final and the most important message of my life and I don't know where to begin."

A long pause while the redheaded woman seems to be composing herself.

"My name is Kimira Moonstone the Eighty-Sixth – that is, I am the eighty-sixth direct descendant of Capt. Kimira Moonstone who piloted this vessel,_ The New Hope, _from Alfea to this planet we simply call New Alfea.

Another pause.

"We thought we had given them the slip when we arrived at this planet seven thousand years ago. Then, it was a rock in space with one vast sea orbiting around a yellow sun and with a dwarf blue sun running roughly from its north to south poles and three moons. Yet, it held within it all the key elements and building blocks required to establish new life and to colonize. There was a lot of work to be done before we could settle the planet. We had to create an atmosphere and then create an area of ground large enough to terraform and seed with various animals, plants and insects which took five-thousand years and several generations to finally reach a habitable state.

We occupied the Planet of New Alfea in peace and prosperity for one thousand years but then our enemies found us and demanded the whole of New Alfea for themselves. We were not about to give it up without a fight which sparked a thousand years of war. I was born in wartime, grew up in wartime and will now die in wartime. But I digress. I …

"Kim," says a blond haired man with grey and silver flecked eyes who enters into view. "Oh! Sorry. I didn't see you are recording something."

"Not to worry, Ro" replies Kimira. "It is the obligatory captain's final message. Perhaps you, as my beloved husband, would like to add something to it?"

"Nothing that you can't say better, Kimi-Kitten," replies Ro. "I just wanted to ask if you will be joining us in our stateroom soon."

"I shall be there directly once I have finished," replies Kimira.

"I shall see you then," says Ro, gently caressing her cheek then leaning over to kiss Kimira's forehead and departs.

"During the war," says Kimira, resuming her message, "we poisoned the rivers and oceans with toxins, filled the air so full of deadly germs that it can no longer be breathed, killed off most of the flora and fauna and created vast areas of radioactive wasteland. Under such a strain, the ecosystem has completely collapsed. The planet is no longer even barely habitable for our enemies or for us."

Kimira pauses and then with a sad expression continues, "We who remained thought that we could take refuge in our ship and wait things out in cryogenic sleep. We were wrong. It seems that our enemies were waiting on us to make such a move for, as soon as we locked the hatch, they used their last nuke to slag-bomb the mountain above us and bury us under kilotons of molten rock. We have survived the initial attack but we and our ship are dying. The cells that power our ship are running down quickly and cannot be recharged because the solar panels that do that are deep under hardening molten rock. Already, the air purifiers are struggling to keep the air breathable and we had only food for a few more days. Yesterday, we decided unanimously to have a communal feast, settle differences that needed to be settled, say our final prayers as mortals to the Goddess, bid our comrades good-bye and then retire to our chambers to take the path of easy sleep to the Goddess."

"Are you going to be much longer, Kimi?" asks a woman in a blue and yellow cat suit with raven hair down to her hips who has come into view. "I just saw Roland heading off to our stateroom."

"I won't be too much longer, She'a," replies Kimira.

Then with a serious look She'a asks, "Have you told him yet?" and Kimira suddenly puts a hand to her stomach.

"No," says Kimira sadly, "and I don't think I will. I don't want him going to the Goddess feeling guilty about it."

"Well, I would tell him," says She'a. "I feel he has a right to know."

"I still have a little time to decide," replies Kimira. "Do you have any parting words to record before going?"

"Good-bye, everyone," says She'a, looking directly into the screen. "Catch you all at the abode of the Goddess. See you in a bit, Kimi," she adds and then takes her leave.

"I don't think there is really that much time for me to go on," continues Kimira. "You will find plenty of resources on this ship that will tell you of our origins, history and achievements. You are welcome to everything else our ship has to offer. If New Alfea has revived, I hope it is beautiful, that you live in peace with no hardships or enemies and that you have found your own way to the teachings of the Goddess. Farewell now."

The last few seconds are of Kimira reaching for the activation-deactivation sensor.


	29. Aftershock

**Chapter 29 : Aftershock**

Everyone is silent for a long while with thoughts rushing through their heads.

"Thank the Goddess!" thinks Flora gratefully to herself. "She's not the Goddess after all but how did Kimira's image become linked to Her?"

"This is so sad!" thinks Stormy as the petite woman-child struggles to hold back tears.

"What the heck!" thinks Shego, not knowing what to make of this. "I wonder how Kimmy is doing?" her thoughts suddenly shifted towards the redheaded cheerleader she left on Terra. "I never thought that I would miss her."

"So," thinks Icy coldly. "We've dodged one bullet but this is still an explosive situation which could lead to some potentially dangerous repercussions for all on Alfea."

"Owe!" thinks Bloom, cradling her head in her hands. "I'm in really bad need of some aspirin."

"We need to analyze this with great care and in depth," thinks Tecna.

"Alfea?" asks Bloom. "Does that mean that there is another planet called Alfea?"

"We have known of this planet for thousands of years," says Tecna, "but it was almost barren and far too radioactive to resettle until just recently. Still we knew of this planet only as Alfea."

"The original Alfea could have been destroyed in the fighting or maybe its sun went nova," suggests Flora.

"That's a possibility," says Tecna, "or the original planet was so taken over by this enemy that nothing of the former inhabitants remains."

"Does Kimira actually use the word 'Alfea'?" asks Shego.

"Yes," replies Tecna, "and we have found that it breaks down as 'Al-fe-a' which syllable for syllable means 'Our-native-home'. And the word 'Alfean', which was originally 'Al-fe-yan' means 'Our-native-tongue'."

"I am disturbed by Kimira's use of the word 'enemy'," says Icy. "Isn't that the same word in High Alfean that is often used to mean 'Witch'?"

"I think that you are well aware, Icy," says Tecna, "that a translation can sometimes be deceptive and it is dangerous to make off-the-top interpretations. In this case, the actual word Kimira uses does not even come close in sound or form to the High Alfean word. Without further research, we cannot assume that they were fighting against Witches."

"Well, it certainly sounds like Witches. It's just like Witches to bury people alive," says Flora and Icy snarls at her as if ready to spring into a have-at-her.

"Flora!" snaps Bloom in her most authoritarian and in-command voice. "That was out of line and uncalled for. Shame on you!"

"I'm sorry," apologizes Flora with her head bent. "I guess I wasn't thinking," then spreads her wings to fan a soothing scent into the air.

"She's on the verge of a breakdown," thinks Bloom deeply worried for her comrade. "I need to get her out of here and back to her plants and her duties at Alfea College."

"I think we are all a bit touchy at this moment," says Shego who is the only one who seems to be keeping her cool. "I think we should all split up and allow ourselves time to absorb this latest information. Let's meet again later today after we've had time to calm down."

"Good idea," replies Bloom. "We can meet in our boardroom. You know where that is? Good. See you there in five hours," and all the Faeries and Witches nod in agreement.

"I would like to stay here and work on this translation and see if I can refine it any and see if I can find a more precise translation for this word 'enemy' that Kimira is using," says Tecna.

"May I stay with Tecna?" asks Stormy, looking to Icy who looks to Shego and nods when she sees that Shego is also nodding.

"I'm sorry, Bloom," apologizes Flora when they have left the helm. "I guess I really did speak out of turn."

"You look exhausted, Flora. Maybe too exhausted to think clearly," says Bloom. "As your leader, I'm ordering you back to Alfea College. I'm sure that your plants are in need of attention by now."

"Yes," says Flora, "and perhaps you should come back with me. Miss Faragonda and Miss Griselda are probably starting to get anxious about our absence. And I need to be away from Icy and Shego."

"I sense that there is something in the air between those two now, too," says Bloom, frowning. "Have you noticed the way Icy keeps looking to Shego every time there is some decision to be made?"

"They've been fighting a lot," nods Flora, "and Stormy is afraid to be near them. That's why I think she wants to be with Tecna all the time."

Five hours later, all are assembled in what the Faeries have named their boardroom.

"How is everyone feeling?" asks Shego, who has been elected chairperson.

"Better, now that we clearly know that Kimira is not The Goddess," replies Flora and Icy and Stormy nod in agreement.

"We still have to be extremely careful with this," says Icy. "There are too many that believe in this particular image of The Goddess. Many may accuse us of heresy. It could split the whole population of Alfea into factions and trigger an all-out jihad. It could destroy the planet and send reverberations throughout the known universe because there are many other planets with inhabitants who believe in The Cult of The Goddess."

"Nations on Terra have gone to war with each other for even less," says Bloom and Icy flashes her a tell-me-about-it look and nods.

"I am still for burying this and not breathing a word to anyone," says Shego.

"It is already too late for that, I fear," says Icy. "By now, the Alfean authorities have probably detected the signals of our illegal transporti. They will train their spotter satellites or their spell masters here and detect unusual activity. They're not fools and will probably send out a patrol to investigate. In any case, we are running against the clock and stand to be the losers if we haven't got our act together by then."

"What of the message, Tecna?" asks Shego. "Anything new to report?"

"Well, the word for 'enemy' is generic," says Tecna. "There is nothing I have found to link this word to Witches or to Faeries for that matter so The Goddess only knows who these people were fighting."

"Do we at least know if they were either Faeries or Witches?" enquires Shego.

"Unfortunately, Shego, you contaminated the only specimen we could have used to determine that," replies Tecna. "We need to find a body that has been undisturbed to collect samples."

"What bothers me," puts in Stormy, "is how is it that Kimira does look so much like The Goddess and like Bloom as well? And didn't Bloom once tell us that 'Domino' means 'our home'?"

"A nice try, My Precious Little One," says Icy, "but there are too many other planets with names that translate into Witchspeak or Alfean as 'our home', 'our planet', 'the peoples' place' and suchlike. And that does not even account for those that no longer exist."

"Well, it is illogical that any civilization could vanish without any trace whatsoever," says Tecna. "Maybe we should look through our own histories and mythologies to see if there is any mention of them."

"I could try a séance with Daphne to find out if she knows anything," says Bloom, "and I'm sure I could convince Miss Barbataya at the Alfea College Library that I have developed a sudden interest in mythology and lost civilizations so she may give me some helpful leads."

"I really need a rest," says Flora, "but I could search for what is available at Lymphia, I guess," and Bloom nods.

"I have access to the entire Cloud Tower library including the restricted vaults," says Icy. "I'll start there."

"I'll consult the Great Database," says Tecna. "If I do it while on a visit to Binos, then there is little chance of anyone getting suspicious."

"Sounds like a plan," says Shego. "Stormy and I can hold the fort for a time and I'm sure that I can convince any snoops who may show up to get lost in a hurry," and lights up a fist with green plasma. "I say that this meeting is adjourned until next week at this time."


	30. Death Walk

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**Chapter 30 : Death Walk**

Seven days later the Faeries return to the site and to the Comm Station expecting to find the Witches there and ready to meet with them for an information exchange session. Instead, the three find Stormy alone curled up on her sleeping mat and crying as if her heart were broken.

"What is going on?" asks Flora urgently, being hit with wave upon wave of fear and anxiety emanating from Stormy.

"Icy's run into the jungle and we can't find her!" blurts Stormy through sobs.

"Tell us exactly what happened," demands Tecna firmly but sympathetically.

"Icy came back three days ago," begins Stormy, "but she had no information to give to Shego. Shego ordered her to go back to Cloud Tower to continue her research but Icy refused saying that she could not bear to be alone without Shego at her side. This errupted into a frightful argument between them. Finally, Icy ran out into the jungle screaming that she would rather die than live forsaken by the one she loves. Shego went after her but Icy gave her the slip. We've been searching for three days and have found no trace of her."

Bloom is about to say something when Shego suddenly materializes in the room and is standing beside her. "You have heard what's happened?" she asks the three Faeries.

"Yes," says Bloom, "Stormy just told us that Icy's run away."

"Exactly," replies Shego, "and although we have done our best to find her the jungle is just too thick to locate her either by flying above or searching on the ground. She could be anywhere."

"Might it be that she's simply gone back to Cloud Tower?" asks Bloom.

"No," says Shego with a strong negative shake of her head. "She can't fly or teleport that far and I locked the transportus here as soon as she vanished so she can't use that either."

"There is no way she can stay alive out there without provisions," adds Stormy. "She'll be dead within a few more days if we don't find her."

Bloom gives a meaningful look to Tecna who nods and Flora catching her meaning also nods.

"Tecna and I can find her," says Bloom to Shego and Stormy.

"How?" asks Stormy, looking hopeful. "We've looked all over and found no trace of her. How do you expect to do something that we couldn't?"

"We have some special Faerie magic working for us that Icy will not be able to hide from," replies Bloom. Then, turning to the Faerie of Nature, "Flora, I want you to stay here and prepare for an emergency. Tecna, come with me."

"I never thought we would be using the tag we put on Icy for this," remarks Tecna once she and Bloom are aloft.

"Neither did I," says Bloom, "but despite whatever differences we may have with her, she is too important to abandon her somewhere to die."

Even with the tag to help them it took a good half day to find Icy. She was hidden under a thick canopy of jungle foliage that not even an eagle's eyes had any hope of penetrating. Finally, about half a kilometre from the site, they locate her and have to fight the thick jungle as they land to find her beside a slow running stream.

But something seems strange to Tecna as she regards the woman collapsed onto the ground. "Can this be Icy?" she asks Bloom.

Bloom looks at the woman with jet black hair in a high ponytail and honey-coloured skin who has wasted away to skin and bones. "Yes, it's Icy," she says. "Shego told me that she sometimes switches to this guise in private but is not the guise she shows to the public. See, she's wearing Icy's Gloomix talisman which only she alone can wear."

"We need to get her back to the Comm Station in one heck of a hurry," observes Tecna, "but even in this condition, she is too heavy for me to lift."

"I can take care of this," Bloom tells her. "We will need a clear spot to lift-off."

"Coming right up," says Tecna. "Lay flat on the ground and keep your head low." Then a shaft of lazer light breaks from Tecna's hand, clearing a circular swath of jungle. "Okay, we can go."

Tecna, being sent ahead by Bloom, arrives at the Comm Station to announce that she and Bloom have located Icy and that she is still alive. Stormy seems relieved at the news until Bloom flies in with an emaciated Icy in her arms whereupon she lets out a shriek, turns and hides her face in her hands.

Flora moves towards Stormy but Shego steps in front of her. "I'll take care of Stormy, go tend to Icy," she orders her.

Flora and Bloom are knelt beside Icy who is now stretched out on her sleeping mat. Flora is holding to Icy's hand in a trance and in intense pain that has the rest experiencing a moment of anxiety for her.

"She's dying," says Flora, confirming what is apparent to all and Stormy clings even tighter to Shego. "She is far beyond anything I can do for her except to ease her pain somewhat. We urgently need someone with in-depth knowledge of Witches and Witch medicine."

"I know someone at Cloud Tower," says Shego, prying Stormy from her then walking to the transportus and unlocking it so its portal is visible. "I should be back in a few minutes," but instead of walking through the portal she simply vanishes from sight.

At Cloud Tower, Alysoun and her assistant, Vulpa, are in the infirmary's supply room unpacking crates and stocking shelves when they hear the distinctive hum of someone teleporting into the waiting room. Alysoun walks into the room to find an anxious Shego there.

"What's the matter?" asks Alysoun. "Is that bite giving you trouble?"

"No," replies Shego, "it's almost healed and vanished. We have an emergency with Icy. Stormy says she went on a death walk. We've found her but she is in critical condition."

Without further hesitation, Alysoun hastens to the supply room door and calls, "Vulpa, fetch an emergency kit type one and at least six extra bottles of nutria-hydrant stat!"

"Where is she?" asks Alysoun as Vulpa hastens to collect the required supplies.

"Here," Shego indicates to Alysoun on the holomap Tecna has loaned her.

"But that is clear across the planet!" gasps Alysoun. "We'll never be there in time!"

"I have that covered," Shego assures her. "Follow me to Icy's apartment."


	31. The Wounded Aura

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**Chapter 31 : The Wounded Aura**

Stormy, Bloom and Flora are seated on their mats which they have moved up beside Icy trying as best they can to give her what comfort they can offer her despite her still being unconscious.

Flora gently pries open Icy's mouth. "She could stand to have some water," she tells Bloom. "Her mouth is as dry as a bone and her tongue is somewhat swollen."

Bloom leaves and then is quickly back with a water bottle with a tube. She lifts Icy's head and directs a stream of water into her mouth but when Icy starts choking on it, Flora panics and tells Bloom to turn Icy's head and let the water drain out after which Icy's breathing returns to normal. "It seems to have helped somewhat," says Flora.

Meanwhile, Tecna is pacing back and forth – the heels of her cleated boots striking the floor with metronomic accuracy – and announces at regular intervals the time elapsed since Shego's departure. Finally, seeing the unnerving effect it is having on Flora and Stormy, Bloom orders her to light somewhere and be quiet.

Tecna is sitting astride a chair with her arms and chin resting upon its back and looks to be sulking. Suddenly, she raises her head and announces, "Someone is coming," then three figures pass in quick succession through the beam of the transportus' portal. First is a creature, who looks to be a cross between a hawk and an angel, then a svelte Fox-Morph and then Shego. Bloom notes that the Avian-Morph is wearing an armband bearing the universal insignia of the medical profession. The Fox-Morph is also wearing an armband but Bloom can make no sense of its insignia.

"Alysoun!" cries Stormy, running to the Avian Healer then throwing her arms about her and weeping uncontrollably into her feathery breast. "You've got to save her! You've got to!"

"Easy, little one, easy," coos the Avian Healer to Stormy, wrapping her in both her arms and wings. "I'll do my utmost for her," then Stormy suddenly goes limp in her arms.

"What's happened?" cries Shego urgently.

"I've knocked her out," states Alysoun. "I can't afford to have her hysterical and under talon while working on Icy. She'll remain asleep for at least a day. Where may I put her?"

While Alysoun is stretching Stormy out on her mat, the Fox-Morph has opened several boxes bearing the medical insignia and is assembling a stand for an I.V. tube and bottle in a well-drilled manner. "Did you try to do anything for her?" asks Alysoun.

"I gave her an aromatic pain killer and had Bloom try to get her to take some water," says Flora, pointing to the water bottle beside Icy's mat. "We stopped with the water as soon as we saw that she was choking on it. Otherwise, nothing invasive."

"Good," chirps Alysoun. "The pain killer does no harm. Giving her water was also the right thing to do but the water you should have put on a towel. As soon as you put the towel to her mouth, she would have instinctively started to suck on it, getting water without choking."

"What are her vitals, Vulpa," asks Alysoun of the Fox-Morph.

"Critical," replies Vulpa. "Her reserves are depleted, her respiration is through the bottom and her pulse and blood pressure are at minimal," and Alysoun snaps her beaklike mouth shut with an ominous clack. Then, by the book, Vulpa fits an oxygen mask over Icy's face while Alysoun inserts the I.V. needle into her arm.

"Slow drip, Vulpa," instructs Alysoun. "In these cases we want to replenish fluids and nutrients but not shock her body with too much," and Vulpa nods. "Okay, everyone," says Alysoun to all, "move back and out of the way. I have to do a sonic probe."

Alysoun positions herself over Icy, opens her beak and lets rip with a ear-splitting, high-frequency shriek that has Vulpa and the Faeries covering their ears and gritting their teeth while Shego looks on obviously unaffected.

"Goddess! That's wicked!" groans Tecna and Vulpa and Faeries nod their heads in fervent agreement.

"Musa's going to be glad she missed out on this," puts in Bloom. "It would definitely not be music to her ears."

Alysoun approaches the group and nods to Vulpa who makes her way to Icy. "You will have to be especially quiet while Vulpa does her examination," she softly chirps to them.

"What kind of examination is she doing?" whispers Bloom.

"Vulpa is an auric healer," whispers Alysoun.

"A talent similar to mine," whispers Flora.

"But why has Icy wasted away like this so quickly?" breaks in Shego. "I could live for several weeks in the jungle and be none the worse for it. What happened to her?"

"It is because of things particular to Human Witches who can fly," explains Alysoun. "They don't have a quarter cup of reserve fat to their names and because their bone structure and frames are light they have only a third of the bone marrow of most humans. The Afean jungle is only a banquet for Faeries who have the internal workings to eat jungle flora and derive nourishment from it. For Witches, only a mere two percent of what grows on Alfea can be eaten and none of the fauna except for insects. This does not leave much to fall back on if you get lost. Once Icy's little bit of fat and marrow reserves were gone, her body started breaking down muscle and organs. She was pretty close to the point of no return when Bloom and Tecna found her. I can treat her physical problems but something within her is still dying and so is she. Her only hope is that Vulpa can detect something amiss with her aura that can be healed."

Within a few minutes, Vulpa finishes her exam and lopes over to join the rest of the group. "She's a disaster area in there," she announces. "Icy's aura shows that she is not only languishing from unrequited love but also from the results of a ruptured bond. She has only hours to live unless we can find whomever she has been bonded and complete it before all her auric essence drains out of her. Who was last to have any intimate contact with her? Were any of you here scratched or nicked by her and then allow her to lick the wound?"

The Faeries shake their heads but Shego is looking uneasy. "There has been no scratching but she gave me one burning passionate marriage Italian style kiss about a month ago," Shego tells them.

"That may have been enough," says Vulpa. "Icy is so pumped full of exchange enzyme that a scratch may have been unnecessary." Then, placing her hand-paw against Shego's breast, she closes her eyes as if in a trance. "Yes, a piece of Icy's aura is here. Come, Shego, we have to complete this bond."

"No way!" protests Shego. "I've told her time and time again that I don't want this kind of a relationship with her."

"You don't have a choice about it," says Flora softly. "When Mother Alfea finds compatible aurae and wants to join them then, by the Goddess, they get joined."

"It seems illogical," says Tecna, "but Mother Alfea does not respect individual desires, age, sex, and not even species in these matters. But Mother Alfea always has a good and practical reason for these bonds."

« It is not what you may think, Shego, » whispers Pree in Shego's and Flora's minds. « This is not a physical bonding but a spiritual one. No one is asking you to do anything 'kinky' or 'freaky' with her. At most it just involves holding hands with her and touching foreheads and letting Mother Alfea complete the bond properly. »

"A bond will make you even more powerful than you are," chirps Alysoun. "It will allow you to unlock potentials you would never have believed you have. You and the Trix will form a Quadrix. Have you any idea how powerful that is?"

"Uuh-uuh!" groans Shego, moving her hands in a pushing, denying fashion and looking about to lose it.

"For the Goddess' sake!" yips Vulpa, confronting Shego with her hand-paws on her hips. "We don't have time for this, so, I shall say it in terms that even you can understand. Do you want to die, Shego?"

"No." drawls Shego, shaking her head.

"Well, that's exactly what's going to happen if you don't get your butt over there and agree to help me restore Icy's aura," barks Vulpa "For, if Icy dies in her current condition, she's going to take you, Stormy and Darcy with her. And, should you survive, I shall see you hang for, by your inaction, you'll have just as much as murdered them. Clear enough for you?"

"If that's the only outcome," says Shego in a panicky breath, "I'll do it."

« It won't be bad at all, » Pree assures her. « I shall be there with you to guide you through. »


	32. The Desert of Ice

**Chapter 32 : The Desert of Ice**

Vulpa brings Shego over to Icy and has her lie down on a mat very close and facing her. She next takes a long ribbon made of soft cloth and begins to bind Shego's and Icy's hands together.

"What is that for?" asks Shego.

"It is to bind your hands together," states Vulpa flatly and Shego frowns at her.

"I could give you a lot of mystic mumbo-jumbo about it," continues Vulpa, "but I don't have time. Just remain still and let me get on with it…, okay, now touch your foreheads."

"Perfect," says Vulpa, "now just relax and stay that way. You're about to take a little journey."

Vulpa moves her hand-paws hypnotically over Shego's and Icy's heads and Shego passes into a deep trance.

-OoO-

Shego finds herself standing in a desert of white while frigid wind, snow and ice swirl and howl about her. She walks a little distance and spies a figure sitting in the swirling snow.

"Hello!" calls Shego.

Shego runs to the figure which turns and Shego is suddenly staring into an old woman's withered and boney face whose eyes are rheumy and partially cataracted.

"You did this to me!" shrieks the apparition, pointing a boney and accusing finger at Shego. "You did this to me!"

-OoO-

Darcy [annoyingly]: Quack!

Icy [annoyed]: Shut-up, Darcy.

Darcy [louder and more persistently]: Quack! Quack! Quack!

Icy [shouting]: Darcy, you are treading close to death!

Pepé [disgusting little ducky voice]: Mammy! Quack!

Icy [pointing at Pepé and shouting]: And you, I'll have for supper!

« This way, » whispers Pree.

-OoO-

A monster stands frozen in a moment of time – its enormous, slashing claws extended and rivulets of red down its fur and a pool of red about its feet. Seated below it, is Icy cradling a dead, dark-hued Faerie in her arms whose wings are torn to shreds and a gaping wound is open on her side.

Icy [crying bitterly]: No! Aisha! No! Why you? Of all the Winx Faeries you are the only one with whom I could identify. All you wanted was to be free and independent and to have what is rightfully yours… and this is how it ends. Why couldn't I be in time to save you? This is so unfair!

-OoO-

Bloom and Icy are shouting into each other's face.

Icy: Bloom, the Dragon Fire belongs to me! Give it to me!

Bloom: No way, Icy! It's mine.

Icy: It's mine and I will have it! You just picked a fight with the wrong Witch, you pathetic little pixie, I'll….

« This way, » whispers Pree.

-OoO-

Icy and Alysoun are together in Icy's kitchen in her apartment.

Icy [angry and resentful]: So what, Alysoun, if Bloom's sliver of The Dragon Fire is rightfully hers and she is the true Faerie Guardian of The Dragon Fire? What of the promise made to me? The promise that I am to be the Witch Guardian of The Dragon Fire.

-OoO-

Icy is asleep in her bed.

Voice of Icy's Mother: _Buongiorno, piccolina. È l'ora di svegliarti, Ishandra. Fa una bella giornata limpida. La tua sorella sta già mangiando la colazione nella cucina._

Icy [drowsily]: _Si, Mamma. Mamma?_

Icy [on her feet and running out a door crying]: _Mamma! Mamma, dove sei? Mamma, dove sei tu?"_

Darcy [flying towards Icy]: Easy, Icy, easy. It's not your mother.

Icy [still crying]: It's not…?

« Quickly! Over here, » whispers Pree.

-OoO-

Two children are in a grotto splashing in a pool – one a Human and the other a Faerie. The Faerie, who looks somewhat like Musa but is not, sneaks out of the water and hides behind a waterfall.

Girl: I see you, Muta. I'm coming after you.

Muta flies from behind the waterfall, makes a face at the girl then takes off deeper into the grotto.

Girl [levitating out of the water and in pursuit]: Oh, you are asking for it this time, Muta. Just wait until I get my hands on you.

-OoO-

Icy in her raven haired and golden skinned guise is confronting Musa whom she has trapped in a cul-de-sac.

Musa [angry]: Stop calling me Muta. My name is Mu-sa not Mu-ta!

Icy [speaking sadly in broken Alfean]: Can-na we be-a friends, Musa?

Musa [shouting]: No way! I won't be the friend of some wack witch. Now, step aside and let me by!

Icy steps aside to let Musa by, then points to the sky.

Icy [speaking sadly in broken Alfean]: You hava ta go-a de dat-ta way – towards-a de tird-a moon.

Icy watches on with tears in her eyes as Musa lifts off and flies away.

-OoO-

Icy is naked and in a shower holding a sickly Stormy in her arms and washing her.

Icy [vengefully]: Matchka is going to pay for what she's done to you, My Precious Little One. She's so going to pay! Whatever it takes, Matchka's going down, I swear it!

« Will you hurry! » whispers Pree, almost shouting.

-OoO-

A sickly and scrawny, silver haired Icy is tucked into an infirmary bed. A younger Alysoun and an elderly woman whom Shego recognizes as Lady Shakira, the former headmistress of Cloud Tower, from a bust Icy once showed her are standing by her side.

Alysoun [gently holding Icy's hand]: What's your name, child?

Icy [voice weak and slurred]: Isha.

Lady Shakira [straining to hear]: Icy, is it? Well, it suits her well enough so Icy it is.

-OoO-

Icy is tossing and turning in her sleep while Lady Pree hovers over her.

Icy [dreaming and thinking]: Why does Shego spurn me? Can't she understand that I love her? I want into her arms and making love to her. I want her to stay with me and protect me. I want her to love me. And besides, she has a really fantastic butt.

« Almost there, » whispers Pree. « Come along! Hurry! Hurry! »

-OoO-

Shego is back to the white desert and again sees a figure seated in the swirling and hissing ice and snow.

« Go to her! » insists Pree. « Hurry! »

Shego hesitates, fearing that she will be face-to-face once more with the hideous old woman but Pree cries urgently in her mind, « It's okay. Get going before all is lost! »

Shego approaches the figure and sees that she has raven hair done up in Icy's signature high ponytail and is wearing Icy's trademark black leather outfit and is crying as if her world has come to a crashing end.

"What is the matter?" asks Shego of the crying teenager.

"They've killed her," she sobs.

"Killed whom?" asks Shego gently.

"My mother," she chokes, crying. "After all she has done for them: helping them, healing them, protecting them from disease and danger…, and…, they repay her by burning her alive for being a Witch. I hate them! I hate them! I hate them! And now I'm all alone."

"I'm here," says Shego, kneeling and taking the young woman into her arms. "My name is Shego. What's yours?"

"Isha," replies the young woman. "Shego, will you stay with me?"

"Certainly," replies Shego.

Then, suddenly, Isha cries, looking up into Shego's face, "I love you, Shego."

Shego experiences a moment of shock but by the next moment she finally realizes what transpires.

"I love you too, Isha," says Shego, finally admitting to the fire that has been burning in her heart for her since the moment she and Icy first met.

"For ever and ever?" asks Isha.

"For ever and ever, I promise," whispers Shego, holding Isha ever closer to her.

« It is done, » whispers Lady Pree.

-XxX-

Darcy and Riven are asleep in each other's embrace in a luxury penthouse on the pleasure planet of Regulus VII when Darcy is suddenly awoken with such a start that her head bangs against Riven's chin.

"Owe!" groans Riven, wide a wake with a hand against his jaw. "What's that about?"

"Something is wrong on Alfea," says Darcy, worried. "Something involving Icy."

Darcy rushes to the comm, punches in her P.I.N. and then Icy's private calling sequence and waits while the comm beeps persistently indicating that it is trying to establish a connection. After the fiftieth beep, Darcy angrily aborts the call.

"Now I know something's wrong," steams Darcy. "Icy never fails to answer a call from me. And I'm feeling something really strange."

"Well, we certainly stuffed ourselves last night," says Riven, trying to be helpful. "And maybe Icy's just asleep."

"That could be partially right," admits Darcy, "except Icy's private comm does not work that way. She would have to be either dead or seriously injured not to respond."

Darcy puts her arms about Riven's neck and looks up at him anxiously. "I have to go back immediately to Alfea," she tells him.

"Shall I come along?" Riven asks her.

"No, my love," replies Darcy. "You may stay here and have fun…, but…, if I learn that you were busy with any Faeries or even a Witch while I was gone, I'll kill them and maybe then I'll kill you."

"Isn't that a bit harsh?" protests Riven, feeling a sudden cold knot in his stomach, knowing that Darcy would not hesitate to kill without remorse or regret and that Darcy does not utter idle threats.

"Maybe so," says Darcy, kissing his cheek, "but you belong to me now and, by The Goddess and The Tree, I'll see it stays that way."


	33. Emotional Turmoil

**Chapter 33 : Emotional Turmoil**

Musa has flown as fast and furiously as she can for four hours straight without letup and has reached the point of being too exhausted to make even one more beat of her wings. She settles in a secluded spot in a park near Alfea College, puts her knees to her chin, bends her head and weeps bitterly with her hearts and mind full of thoughts about revenge against Darcy for stealing her man and against Riven for betraying her trust and for forsaking her. With her stomachs aching but her eyes dry, she lifts up her head and realizes that there is someone sitting beside her. She is about to tell this someone to get lost and leave her to her misery, when she sees that it is Jareth who has come to keep her company.

"Are you okay?" asks Jareth gently.

"Yes!" replies Musa, lifting her head and trying to put on a brave face, but then finding herself overwhelmed by a new flood of tears, says, "No! I'm not okay!"

"I heard about it through the Red Fountain grapevine that is just rife with rumours," Jareth tells her. "Some say that they saw Riven leaving with Darcy and that he didn't appear to be under any spell nor to be resisting any as she lead him away," and Musa feels as if her hearts were to break anew."

"Well, I'm glad he's finally gone," growls Jareth. "I, for one, would have liked to have seen him run through and fed to his own dragon for what he has done to you."

"Jareth!" exclaims Musa shocked. "That's horrible!"

"What has Riven ever done for you, Musa?" Jareth questions her. "For all the love and kindness and patience you have shown him all he has done for you is to lie to you and cheat on you and emotionally kick you in the head. He is not worthy of you. Let the witch have him. They deserve each other but you deserve far better."

Musa looks again at Jareth and realizes by how much he has grown in the last few years. No longer is he a gangly, awkward teenager but a confident young man who is coming into his prime. She looks yet again and sees the soft and caring expression on his face and feels the warmth that seems to radiate just for her from his hearts and soul.

"Musa," he says to her softly, "I know that this may not be the right way, time or place, but…," and then kneeling before her, takes a golden ring with a blue ice diamond from his pocket and slips it on her finger. "I love you, Musa, with all my hearts and soul. Please say you love me and that you will be mine and marry me," and Musa bursts into tears – but different tears.

"Jareth," she tells him with light burning in her eyes, "I first require time to heal some before I can answer you. I need to know within myself where my true hearts' desires lie. Please, grant me a little time for that."

"I understand," he replies, being sympathetic to her need. "Say, you must be starving. So am I and I know a little place near here that makes the perfect flower petal salad you love so much and has the finest sapphire wine to drink with it. We can take a slow walk there and you may lean on me, if you're tired."

"Maybe Stella was right all along when she matched us," thinks Musa as she walks by Jareth's side with her arm and his about each other. "I know I will tell him 'yes' but I still need my time to heal."

"Well, not the answer I had hoped for," thinks Jareth as he and Musa stroll together, "but if she needs time, then she needs time. I won't pressure her for an answer. But, can't wait to see Musa's expression when I tell her about the strange woman who came to me and urged me to propose to her and who gave me the golden ring with the blue ice diamond that she created before my eyes in the green fire of her plasma lit palm."


	34. Wrath without Reason

**Chapter 34 : Wrath Without Reason**

Darcy bursts through the Central Transportus on the Witch side of Magix and then flies like the wind to The Trix' apartment in Cloud Tower.

"Icy! Stormy!" she cries searching their rooms, Icy's study, her study and all the other rooms in their apartment without finding either of them. Finally, she rushes into their private gym and, although she does not find them there, she finds a portable transportus set-up and active. Without giving a thought as to where she might end up, she rushes through its beam.

At the Comm Station, Alysoun and the Faeries were watching Vulpa's ritual which has just now come to its conclusion. "Someone is coming through the transportus," signals Tecna before Vulpa can open her mouth to tell them if the bond was successful. Within a split second of that, Darcy is flying through the portal. The first thing Darcy sees is Icy, Stormy and Shego stretched out on sleeping mats and that Icy's and Shego's hands are ritually bound and their foreheads are touching then next she sees Vulpa, and, realizing what has just happened, explodes into a rage. "How could you?" she screams, rushing Vulpa, lifting her off the floor by the fur of her chest and slamming her against the wall.

"Let me go!" barks Vulpa but when Darcy only tightens her grip and slams her harder against the wall, Vulpa uses her foot-paws to kick Darcy squarely in her abdomen and break her grip. Vulpa manages to land gracefully on her foot-paws but then slumps to the floor with a yelp of pain.

Darcy rallies and starts to come back at Vulpa with the obvious intent of finishing her off when Alysoun blocks her way and screeches, "You shall not lay another hand on her or you shall face me, Darcy, and I eat little snakes like you for breakfast."

"I can take you down, Alysoun," growls Darcy.

"Then you shall also have to take me down," snarls Bloom holding a ball of Dragon Fire within her hands.

"And me," says Tecna coldly while on one arm she bears a techno-shield and in her hand she holds a short sword that looks to be made of glowing green wire.

"And also me," says Flora, who, despite the sweetness of her voice, is wearing an expression that means business and is holding a length of ivy rope with a huge knot on the end.

Darcy, unconvinced, holds up her hands that are wet with Vulpa's blood and screams, "Illusion-Delusion Brain Twister!" calling forth one of the nastiest in her repertoire of spells – but no twisting black swirl of mind-numbing mist flows from her palms.

"Optical Blindness," yells Darcy and Alysoun and the Faeries momentarily blink expecting their eyes to be assaulted by a sight robbing flash of intense light but again nothing happens.

Seeing her attack spells fail, Darcy panics and bolts for the transportus.

"Stop her!" yells Bloom.

"Argh!" screams Flora, unleashing her vine bolas that neatly wraps about Darcy's ankles and brings her down.

Flora goes up to Darcy and in a flash has her securely bound with yet more vines.

"I'm going to get you for this!" screams Darcy, glowering at Flora.

"I don't think so," whispers Flora gently while kneeling to look Darcy straight in her eyes. "And you had better stop struggling for these vines are designed to grow tighter the more you struggle including the ones about your neck," and Darcy stares at Flora open-mouthed and wide-eyed in shock and disbelief.

"Alysoun, Vulpa," screams Darcy but remaining still. "I'll see you dragged before the Great Council of the Sisterhood of Witches you traitors. I'll see you stripped of your rank and powers and banished and then I'll…"

"Enough of this," scolds Alysoun angrily then scratches Darcy's hand lightly with one of her curved talons and Darcy is stone-cold out.

"How do you do that?" asks Bloom.

"It's a natural secretion on our talons," explains Alysoun. "We were hunters in the days before the invention of syntho-flesh. We can lift prey that is twice our weight but it is hard to fly while it is bellowing and struggling to escape so this secretion acts like a knock-out potion which makes it relax and puts it to sleep. Besides, the flesh of prey is ever so much more tender when it is dispatched while relaxed and unaware of its impending doom."

"You just had to go and ask," whispers Tecna to Bloom behind her hand making a disgusted face.

Vulpa is seated on one of the sleeping mats holding several pads of blood-soaked gauze to her chest. "Let's see what we can do for you," says Alysoun in a soft trill while approaching her.

"It hurts worse than anything I have ever felt before," whimpers Vulpa as Alysoun changes the blood-soaked gauze for fresh. She then has Vulpa lift her hand-paw as she parts her fur to expose a series of puncture and slash wounds where Darcy's diamond-hard and razor-sharp nails had dug in and ripped through her flesh.

"That bitch!" curses Bloom angrily under her breath but then Vulpa suddenly looks up at her offended.

"Sorry, Vulpa," apologizes Bloom red-faced. "That was a really bad choice of words but you know what I meant."

"Yes, I understand," says Vulpa, looking over to a still sleeping Darcy. "And I warn you all that Darcy is far more dangerous than you may think. Her aura shews itself to be composed almost entirely of pure evil and that she is one very, very sick and disturbed Witch. We can expect no end of mischief and misery from her."

"Thanks for the heads-up," says Bloom.

"Here, sweetie," says Flora, selecting a vial of glowing sun coloured ointment from her Charmix pouch and rubbing some of it onto her palms and offering it to Vulpa to sniff. "It's an aromatic painkiller that's good for Witches as well as Faeries. Just breathe it in and you will start to feel better," and Alysoun nods.


	35. The Quadrix

**Chapter 35 : The Quadrix**

"What are we to do with her?" asks Flora, nodding towards Darcy.

"We can't let her go back to Cloud Tower, that's for certain," replies Bloom. "How long can you keep her knocked-out, Alysoun?"

"For about three days," chirps Alysoun, "but she needs to eat regularly or she shall become a scarecrow like Icy before too long. There is also a limit to how many times I can knock her out before it becomes too dangerous."

"I would like for you to stay awhile," says Bloom to Alysoun. "You no doubt wonder why we are here at all in the middle of all this jungle."

"We shall need to restock on food and other provisions," says Tecna, "now that we have three more Witches here."

"I'll do that," volunteers Alysoun. "I know my way about Cloud Tower and not even Miss Griffin questions my comings and goings."

"Thank you, Alysoun," replies Bloom.

"Owe! My head!" groans a voice behind them and all turn to see Stormy sitting up on her mat. "Goddess! Am I ever hungry!"

"I'm getting that way myself," says Vulpa as she comes over to see how Stormy is.

"What happened to you?" asks Stormy, seeing the bandages bound to Vulpa's chest.

"I had an argument with your sister," replies Vulpa.

"Icy?" asks Stormy, seeing Shego and Icy are bound and appear to be gone to another world. "How can that be?"

"It was Darcy," Vulpa tells her and Stormy turns to see Darcy bound and stretched out on a mat.

"I guess she no longer needs to be bound," says Flora, catching Stormy's puzzled look. She walks quietly to Darcy and touches her vines that melt into nothingness.

"Icy's going to be okay?" asks Stormy anxiously.

"Yes," Vulpa assures her and everyone's attention switches to Icy and Shego who had been forgotten during the brouhaha between Vulpa and Darcy.

"Something strange has happened," says Stormy. "I can feel it – like something has been changed."

"You, Icy, Shego and Darcy are now a Quadrix," Vulpa tells her.

"Oh," says Stormy with almost disinterest as if long ago she had resigned herself to the fact that this would eventually happen.

"Not the reaction I would have expected," whispers Bloom to Tecna and Flora who look back at her questioningly and shrug.

"I need to let off some energy before eating," says Stormy.

Stormy heads out the door and by the count of thirty, there is a brilliant flash of lightning followed immediately by a slow rolling Wrath-Of-The-Goddess thunderclap then a torrential downpour. But as fast as the rain hits the ground, the thirsty jungle drinks it up and Flora feels the plants about her give up a sigh of relief and herself refreshed by the lightning-charged air.

When Stormy returns, Shego is awake and is kneeling beside Darcy. "When did this bit of trouble arrive?" she asks Alysoun.

"About four hours ago," replies Alysoun, "just after Vulpa finished her bonding ritual with you and Icy."

"So, she knows," says Shego and Alysoun nods. "Okay, wake her up. I'll need to talk to her."

Alysoun cleans off a talon with gauze, dips it into a vial that contains a thick brown liquid and lightly scratches Darcy's hand whereupon her eyes open.

"Shego!" screams Darcy the moment her eyes light on her. "I'm…."

"You are going to shut-up and do as your told," growls Shego coldly, while brandishing a plasma lit finger under Darcy's nose.

Darcy recoils but still looks prepared for a fight when Stormy steps in front of her.

"Enough, Darcy," says Stormy, having found her courage and with a light like lightning glowing in her eyes. "You are being a wiotch and embarrassing yourself and us in front of the Faeries. Now wake up and smell the new reality. We are no longer The Trix but The Quadrix so get used to it."

"Never!" hisses Darcy.

« When I get back my powers, Shego, you are going to die! » hears Shego, capturing Darcy's thoughts.

"I shall die one day," whispers Shego quietly and menacingly into Darcy's pointed ear, "but not today. And as for your powers, you'll get them back when I decide you may have them back."

« Tread carefully! » Shego hears Pree's warning in her mind. « She is highly dangerous and unstable at this moment. Don't forget that we need her to be with us and not against us. »


	36. A Day in the Galley

**Chapter 36 : A Day in the Galley**

Bloom, seeing that the conflict among the Witches is about to turn ugly, taps Tecna's and Flora's shoulders and indicates the exit with her eyes.

"Ah! It is good to get the cramps out of my wings," sighs Tecna stretching her wings as she and the others fly about the perimetre of the site shedding a small snowstorm of faerie dust.

"I'm famished," complains Flora. "I haven't had a bite to eat all day."

"So are we all," agrees Bloom, "but our provisions are all in the Comm Station. I don't think it would be wise to go back in at this moment," and the others nod in agreement.

"I think it's time to check out Mother Alfea's jungle bounty," says Flora. "Let's head that way," she adds pointing to a group of trees towering over the lower canopy of jungle foliage.

"Girls…, err…, Bloom, Tecna, Flora, may I join you?" calls Stormy, floating up to meet them.

"Sure, says Bloom, surprised, "but why aren't you staying with the other Witches?"

"It always turns out the same way," grumbles Stormy. "They argue and in the end I'm still at the bottom of the pecking order. Right now, they are screaming and yelling at each other like toddlers fighting over who is to get the shiniest new toy or to get to play first in the sandbox. Sheesh! And then they all harsh on me and accuse_ me _of acting like a child and just boss me around as always," she adds with rancour. "So, why should I stick around when I already know that, whatever the outcome, it will all turn out badly for me?"

"We were about to go looking for something to eat," says Bloom, deciding to let Stormy's remark slide.

"Sounds great!" exclaims Stormy, looking excited but then hesitant. "But I cannot eat what you Faeries eat."

"That's not quite true, Sweetie," says Flora. "I am an expert in these matters and I'm sure we can find something delicious that is safe for both Witches and Faeries."

"What I still can't understand," says Bloom, "is why is it on so many planets the flora and fauna tend to be so similar."

"It is part of the natural evolution of most planets with a similar type of sun and array of planets," replies Flora. "There are only so many viable combinations and permutations you can make with the material at hand. But don't make the mistake of assuming that what one finds on one planet to be the same as something similar on another planet and that it is safe to eat. An apple, for instance, on Alfea, Lymphia, Andros or Terra is safe to eat and good for you but take a bite of an apple on Solaria and you'll be dead before you can chew and swallow."

"I can relate to that," says Stormy. "My Great-Grandmother Kaena told me that when the first settlers arrived on New Witch Haven, many were fooled into eating what they thought was a potato but was so deadly toxic that it killed within seconds."

Stormy and the Faeries begin a search of the jungle and soon find berries, wild grapes, coconuts and a variety of roots and tubers. Stormy heads off a ways on her own but soon is calling excitedly. "Come looky what I've found! Something tells me that these are going to be really good," she tells the Faeries while pointing to some bushes laden with round fruit.

"Alfean breadfruit!" exclaims Flora, becoming infected with Stormy's excitement. "They are delicious but how did you know that?"

"I don't know," replies Stormy, shrugging, "it just felt right."

"How does she do that?" wonders Tecna for the thousandth time.

Flora magics forth several vine baskets which are soon filled to capacity and all fly with them to the ship. During the time when Tecna and Stormy were locked away working on decoding the Ship's language, she, Shego and Bloom spent much of their time exploring what they could of the ship. Almost immediately, they came upon the galley and a cafeteria attached to it. It was expected that the tables and countertops would be laden with dirty dishes, the remains of food and dust and dirt but there was nothing of the sort. In fact, the whole of the ship appeared to be immaculately clean. There was no food to be found but the cupboards were filled with cleaned and neatly stacked flatware and in other drawers and cupboards were cutlery, tablecloths, towels, pots and pans. The whole area looked to be in order and just waiting for the chefs and staff to march in early in the morning and start preparing breakfast for the estimated five thousand souls that may have called the ship home. Shego did some tinkering and soon had all the food keeps, stoves, aqualizers and other kitchen marvels up and running.

Upon reaching the galley, Flora soon has the baskets emptied and is assigning tasks. "Bloom, Tecna, the breadfruit needs to be boiled, peeled and mashed. There are large pots in the fourth cupboard there. Stormy, the coconuts need to be stripped of the outer fibre then use the trephine here to open them. You will need five pitchers of coconut milk and as many bowls you can fill with coconut meat. I shall take care of washing the leaves, tubers, nuts, fruit and berries for salads."

"Sheesh!" thinks Stormy somewhat resentfully, "even these pixies think they can boss me around."

"Why are we doing everything the hard way instead of using magic?" protests Stormy.

"Food tastes much better prepared by hand," Flora tells her, "and because of the love you put into it."

"Ah, and here I thought that it was the precise combination of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme that makes food taste good," snarks Stormy.

"Stormy, don't be that way," chides Bloom gently. "I'm sure that even your mother didn't use magic to make meals. And I bet that each dish was delicious because of the love she put into it for you, your father and your sisters."

"Well," admits Stormy with a dreamy look, "my mother cooks a really savoury zebra stew and her three berry pie is to die for. And when Darcy and I were good, Grandmother Fiona would make saltwater licorice drops for us. And among us Trix, Icy is a very much cook-from-scratch Witch and the aroma of her_ pasta fagioli _makes you drool."

"Saltwater licorice?" exclaims Bloom. "I love saltwater licorice, although, on Terra, the best saltwater licorice comes from the Netherlands."

"Three berry pie sounds delicious!" smiles Flora. "Do you have a recipe for it, Stormy? Or, better still, could you bake one for us?"

"To each her own," thinks Tecna, deciding to keep her opinions to herself, "just don't offer me any of that zebra stew."

Stormy watches as Flora cuts leaves into small squares and then puts them into a garlic press to squeeze and collect the juice in a small glass. "What is that for?" she asks.

"It is like vegetable rennet," explains Flora. "I shall use it in some of the coconut milk you have so kindly poured out into pitchers for me. I shall put the rennet into two of these which will cause the coconut milk to clot and separate from the water. After I drain the water I shall heat some of it to make warm coconut cream to fold into the breadfruit pudding. The rest I will add some New Witch Haven saffron to then put into a mould to ferment and eventually turn into coconut cheese."

"When Darcy and I were children," says Stormy, "we would help harvest New Witch Haven saffron along with our parents. We exported it from New Witch Haven as a dyestuff and for its unique flavour. We would all remain stained orange for weeks after the harvest," she laughs. "My mother used to put it into every dish she made but here on Alfea it costs you several hundred Solidi for just a few grams."

"Yes," says Flora. "We thought that we could grow it on Lymphia but when we got the seed all it grew was very commonplace saffron which was hardly worth the effort of trying to cultivate. The unique flavour comes from something found only on New Witch Haven."

"Well, the salads are just about ready," interrupts Bloom. "I hope everyone's hungry. Ok, we have mesclun salad, carrots and raisin salad with coconut cream, pasta salad, flower petal salad, fruit and nuts salad and to go with it oil and vinegar dressing and blueberry and raspberry dressing. And here is a little something especially for you, Stormy" and places before her a bowl of what looks to be four golden cubes in a broth. "It is a dish from Terra called_ Agedashi Tofu. _I hope you'll like it."

"What is in it?" asks Stormy softly.

"Deep fried corn starch coated tofu in a vegetable_ dashi _sauce. _Dashi _is usually a fish bouillon but I can't eat it so I have used Alfean blue kelp to imitate it which my human adaptive parents say is a dead-ringer for the taste. But eat up before it gets cold," replies Bloom.

"Thank you," whispers Stormy and the Faeries see tears flooding from her eyes.

"What's the matter, Sweetie?" exclaims Flora.

"I would have never expected this in my entire life!" sobs Stormy. "You have all been so kind to me while I have been so mean to you. I thought all you would want from me is revenge."

"There is no need for you to think that, Stormy," consoles Bloom. "It is not in our nature to seek revenge against anyone and especially not against someone who has so sincerely apologized to us."

"Thank you," mumbles Stormy through tears. "Sometimes I feel so small and unimportant. Icy does treat me kindly but to her I'm her 'precious little one' and I feel like I'm her china doll and not a woman. And Darcy hardly speaks to me or, when she does, it is as if she thinks that my idea of an inkling is a baby fountain pen and that I'm too stupid to even know how to boil water to cook rice. And Shego is a harsh instructor."

"You are small only in stature, Stormy, but not in importance," assures Tecna. "Look at what you have done. Who else could have powered up the Ship's electrical systems if not you? And who had these unbelievable insights into the Ship's language that allowed us to come to an understanding of it and many other things. That is a wonderful talent to have and develop. I'm almost jealous of you for being able to see in ways I simply can not."

"I have never thought of it that way," cries Stormy. "It just seems natural to me as does making thunder, lightning and storms. I never thought of it as anything special."

"Believe me, it is," replies Tecna. "You should feel blessed."

"Dry your tears now, Sweetie," says Flora softly, "and let's get to our meals before they become cold or lose their flavour."

"And no matter what," adds Bloom, gently squeezing Stormy's hand, "we shall always be sisters."


	37. Awake, My Love

**Chapter 37 : Awake, My Love**

Even though the bond between Icy and Shego is successful, Icy is slow to recover so all, including the Faeries, take turns at watching over her. On this particularly hot day, Bloom is taking her turn at caring for Icy. Icy's head is resting in her lap while Bloom mops her face and forehead with a cool cloth. Bloom has unfolded her Enchantix wings and is using them as a fan to create a cool breeze. Suddenly, Icy opens her eyes and stares into Bloom's face.

_"Che cosa fa?"_ asks Icy weakly_. "Sei una fata?"_

_"¡ Sí, Icy !"_ replies Bloom, surprised and amused. _"Soy la hada Bloom."_

_"Non ti credo che…,"_ murmurs Icy but slips back into unconsciousness mid-sentence.

A few hours later, Alysoun marches into the Comm Station with Vulpa, Shego, Darcy and Stormy following behind. "I need to wake Icy," she announces to all. "We need to get her on solid food if she is to gain back her strength and put on some weight. When I do this, it would be best that she were surrounded by familiar faces."

Bloom takes the hint that this would not include her so she lifts Icy's head from her lap and rests it again on the sleeping mat and moves out of the way.

"Gather around everyone," says Alysoun as she cleans one of her talons with wet cotton then dips it into some viscous brown liquid and lightly scratches Icy's hand and her eyes open.

_"Cosa? Dove sono?"_ asks Icy, disoriented and near panic.

"Witchspeak, Icy, please," says Darcy. "We can't understand a word of what you're saying. It's okay. You're with us in the Comm Station. Do you remember where that is?"

Icy turns her head to see Shego beside her. "My love," she whispers to her as she makes an effort to wrap her arms about Shego's neck and bring her face down to hers while Darcy's expression turns immediately sour and she glares at both Shego and her.

Shego, quickly noticing Darcy's expression, untangles Icy's arms from about her neck and whispers to her, "There are others here to see you."

"Darcy," murmurs Icy.

"Welcome back, Sister," smiles Darcy. "We thought we were going to lose you."

"Well, it would seem that you haven't," smiles Icy at her.

"Hey! Well, thanks for forgetting about me!" interrupts Stormy sharply.

"No one is forgetting about you, My Precious Little One," whispers Icy, squeezing Stormy's hand.

"Okay, visiting hours are over for the moment," chirps Alysoun, while holding a bowl of what looks to be cream of wheat. "I have to start feeding my patient."

Within the day, Bloom has Flora, Tecna and herself with their kit and caboodle moved out of the Comm Station and into one of the many empty rooms near the ship's galley.

"The Witches have a lot to work out among themselves," Bloom tells the two, "and I think that the last thing they'll want is us Faeries hanging about and eavesdropping."

Bloom slumps into a chair, puts her hands to her forehead and moans, "I'm absolutely beat and my brain feels about to go on strike. Let's call it a day and get some shut-eye. We'll hash all this out in the morning, although, I may have to legislate my brain back to work. I don't think arbitration is going to work," and the others laugh.

"Tell me about it," agrees Tecna. "I'm about to crash."

"I'll brew us some calming tea," suggests Flora. "Something that will calm our minds so we get a good night's sleep."

"Yes," says Bloom, "but I think I'll zone out to Never-Never Land once my head hits the pillow."

"Ah, yes," smiles Flora. "That's that beautiful resort spot just after Light Haven. I hear it's a nice place to visit this time of year."

"Get out of here!" laughs Bloom at Flora.

"Huh?" says Tecna.


	38. A Shift in Power

**Chapter 38 : A Shift in Power**

Tecna awakes when she hears a voice calling her name softly but anxiously.

"I'm here," whispers Tecna so not to wake Bloom and Flora who are asleep on their mats beside her and the frowning face of the Witch of Storms peers around the doorway. "Keep your voice down, the others are still asleep."

"I'm awake," mumbles Bloom through a yawn as both she and Flora sit up, stretch and then lay back down again on their mats. "Good morning."

"Good morning?" questions Stormy. "You mean good afternoon. The Huntress is an hour past zenith."

"You're kidding me," says Tecna but then consulting her internal clock she finds that Stormy is telling the truth. "We have slept the morning through, girls," she tells them.

"It looks like the tea did its work," says Flora, stretching and yawning again. "I guess we needed the beauty sleep."

"Whatever," says Stormy. "Icy sent me to go look for you and tell you to come to the Comm Station for a meeting. We had no idea where you got to. What are you doing here anyway?"

"It was my decision to move ourselves here to allow you Witches some privacy to work things out," replies Bloom.

"A smart move," admits Stormy. "You should be glad you missed the hullabaloo. Even Alysoun and Vulpa got involved. But I never got a chance to say one word in the matter – after all, Goddess forbid that someone as junior as I could possibly contribute to a discussion among adults," she adds sourly and with sarcasm.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Tecna tells her, "but among us Faeries is the expression that even the Sacred Tree was once just a seed. You're time, I'm sure, will come."

"Maybe so," says Stormy, yawning. "Goddess, I'm beat! The shouting and screaming lasted until the early morning and then I was so upset that I hardly got a wink of sleep before Icy ordered us all up," then seats herself beside Tecna's mat, snakes her arms around her neck and leans her head against Tecna's chest.

"I can hear your hearts beating," whispers Stormy. "I never thought I would ever hear that."

"Ahem!" says Bloom. "I hate to break up this tender moment but, if Icy wants to see us, then we'd better get going," and all arise to share a group hug and exchange kisses of greeting which included a much surprised Stormy.

"Is there anything we should be aware of before our meeting with Icy?" asks Bloom.

Stormy rolls her eyes to the heavens. "The short version is: Shego is the leader of The Quadrix – at least for now until Icy is well enough to resume her role as leader. Icy is second, Darcy, despite being stripped of her powers, is third and I, as usual, am at the bottom."

"Darcy's been stripped of her powers?" asks Bloom incredulously. "So that's what happened… but how?"

"It appears to be a new power shared between Icy and Shego because of their bond," replies Stormy. "And Darcy is one unhappy camper at this moment."

"I can imagine," says Tecna.

"I don't think you can, Tecna," continues Stormy. "On the positive side: Darcy has accepted for now that we are a quadrix – as if she really had any choice in the matter. On the negative side: Vulpa had better watch her back from now on because Darcy is going to be out for her blood."

"But Vulpa just saved her life, did she not?" protests Flora. "Why then would Darcy seek to do her harm?"

"Darcy is not thinking about that," replies Stormy. "She's just looking for someone to take out her anger on for being deposed from second place in our trix. She is too terrified of Shego to confront her. And even though Icy is in a weakened state, since her bonding with Shego, Shego has become so possessive and protective of her that Darcy won't dare harm her. I'm so low on the totem pole that she won't even bother with me. Alysoun would slash her into mince and eat her for breakfast… so that leaves only Vulpa."

"I see," says Bloom.

"I think we should watch Vulpa's back for her," says Flora. "She may be a Witch but she is one with a gentle spirit like Mirta."

"Yes, she's kind," replies Stormy. "She is one of the few who has never picked on me or tried to push me around. I would hate to see her come to harm."

"Then it is up to us to see that Vulpa does not come to harm," states Bloom. "Now we'd better not keep Icy waiting any longer."


	39. Tecna Tells All

**Chapter 39 : Tecna Tells All**

After grabbing breakfast on the run, Bloom, Tecna and Flora enter the Comm Station to find the Witches have set up a trestle table and chairs. Icy looks at them with an "It's about time you three showed up," expression as they enter but elects to remain silent as she, Shego, Darcy, Stormy, Alysoun and Vulpa take their places at one side of the table while on the other side three empty chairs await them. Bloom looks sadly at Icy who is seated in a wheelchair wearing a shawl and with her hair loose over her shoulders and who because of her boney face, fingers and scrawny arms looks more like someone's frail grandmother than the mighty Mistress of the White Ice Dragon Fire.

"Shall we get started?" asks Shego, looking around the table.

"Yes," murmurs everyone.

"We are here to find out what you Faeries might have discovered," states Shego without further preamble. "It is obvious that we Witches have not discovered anything thus far. Do you have anything to contribute, Bloom?"

"Not too very much," sighs Bloom, frowning and holding up empty hands. "Even with Miss Barbataya's help there is just too much information and a week was too short a time to sort it all out. I would have to go back and do more research."

"There is no information on Lymphia," says Flora, "but it is to be expected. My people have little interest in anything that is not biological or of some medical application."

"While on Binos, I found that we had mountains of material written in the Ship's language," begins Tecna, then as an aside adds, "We really need to give it a better name."

"Why not call the language Kimiran and the people Kimiri in honour of our first contact?" suggests Stormy.

"Works for me," says Tecna with barely a pause. "Anyway, it seems that millennia ago we acquired some Kimiran data storage devices from the Vailiynkee who didn't seem to realize what they had in their possession," and Alysoun and Vulpa cringe.

"What's the matter?" asks Bloom.

"It is just that the Vailiynkee are like the cockroaches and dung beetles of the known universe," yips Vulpa disgusted. "They spend all their lives rooting through other people's refuse and garbage in search of anything they can scavenge and resell. They are repulsive and trouble in flaming red letters."

"Yes," says Tecna, "but they managed to find gold amongst the garbage this time. It seems that my people were only interested in the technical data which was transcribed and translated into Binar, Alfean and a few other languages and re-disseminated but it was only truly useful to the Binars who were the most technologically advanced. The original devices are still on Binos but are still so radioactive that even to this day they remain encased in lead and stored in a special vault for such material. But there was one other item that was cleaned and then stored because it was not of immediate interest," and Tecna holds out her palm computer over which is floating the image of a book, "it was just stored and forgotten. It is a book of the teachings of The Goddess but tucked between its leaves was this," and the picture of the book transmutes into an image of Kimira Moonstone.

"Tecna!" exclaims Bloom, peeved and the Witches are also glowering at her.

"What?" says Tecna, wearing a confused "What have I done wrong now?" expression.

"You were sitting on this information and are only telling us about it now?" demands Bloom.

"So, what's the big?" questions Tecna. "We have been so busy finding then caring for Icy during the last month that I thought it better to wait until things had settled before presenting this to you."

"You think this is how the Cult of The Goddess became linked with the image of Kimira Moonstone?" asks Shego, steering the discussion back on track.

"It looks like a good possibility," replies Tecna.

"But if this book and the picture of Kimira Moonstone has been locked away," asks Stormy, "how did this picture of her as The Goddess come to be circulated amongst so many civilizations?"

"A good point," agrees Tecna.

"The Vailiynkee probably made translations of their own and sold thousands of copies that included Kimira's portrait as an illustration," growls Vulpa. "They believe what is garbage to one civilization is treasure to another and are more than willing to take advantage of that. I am beginning to think that if we make a close examination of these so-called 'true copies' of the Teachings of The Goddess, we shall find Vailiynkee claw marks all over them."

"Also a good point," says Tecna.

"Even if the Vailiynkee are responsible for disseminating the Cult of The Goddess throughout the known universe at least it is one of the better ones," says Flora. "The Cult of The Goddess is benevolent and nurturing and strives for harmony among all sentient beings. The origins of The Cult of The Goddess probably has roots going back thousands if not millions of years into the past. The addition of Kimira Moonstone's image does not invalidate Her teachings. You all have to admit that by the standards of most every sentient humanoid species in the universe, Kimira is one extremely beautiful woman and that falls right into the concept that humanoids always want to link even abstract concepts to some thing tangible that they can see and touch."

"Bear with me a moment," interrupts Stormy, "but I think there's another way to look at this."

"How so?" asks Icy, annoyed that Stormy has butt into the conversation for the third time.

"Kimira said that she is the eighty-sixth descendant of the original Kimira Moonstone, right?" asks Stormy looking at Tecna.

"True," replies Tecna.

"What if," asks Stormy, "the word that has been translated into High Alfean as 'descendant' does not really mean 'descendant' but means 'clone'? The Kimira Moonstone of the picture and Kimira Moonstone who recorded the message we have here might not be the same person," and even Darcy sits up and takes notice.

"Go on," encourages Tecna.

"We have almost solved the problem of clone degeneration. What if the Kimiri solved the problem millennia ago?" continues Stormy. "If they were explorers as well and visited many planets over time and from time to time checked in on the planets on which they found sentient humanoids presenting them with a fresh clone of Kimira Moonstone each time then to non-technical peoples it would seem to them that Kimira never ages and therefore she must be The Goddess."

"In addition," adds Vulpa, "if there was at one time an army of Kimira Moonstone clones on various exploration quests that would give the illusion of omnipresence."

"That still does not really explain why there is not one historical record of the Kimiri," says Darcy, finally deeming the conversation fit for her attention.

"Did not Kimira say in her message that there are historical records on the Ship?" asks Stormy, and Icy glowers at her.

"I have searched all the data storage devices I could find and have come across nothing," states Tecna, shrugging.

"Well, that may be just why," says Stormy, ignoring Icy's angry look. "Tecna, you rely too much on everything being hi-tech. I'll give you odds that there is somewhere on the Ship a library of low-tech paper and ink books or etched Alfeanium leaf books that contain their historical records. Even Cloud Tower continues to keep and create paper and parchment documents to record important events."

"Is there a possibility that the Vailiynkee might have other – possibly paper – documents in their possession? And who is to say that they are not the ones who cleaned out this Comm Station and left only what they thought to be worthless behind?" asks Shego. "Maybe we should contact them on that matter."

"You really don't want to go there, Shego," growls Vulpa. "Let's first follow Stormy's theory that there may be a hardcopy library somewhere on the Ship."

"Okay," says Shego. "Let's continue to search the Ship and see if we can find anything like a library. Now, Icy, I believe you had something to say."

"I think," starts Icy, then pauses for a sip of water. "I think now is the time for us to go public with our discovery. We should at least bring our respective headmistresses in on this."

"I agree," says Bloom. "I don't know for how much longer I can put off Miss Faragonda by telling her I'm doing field research. Sooner or later she will want to see the fruits of this 'research' and I shall have to come clean."

"I'll inform Miss Griffin," says Shego.


	40. Witches & Faeries Inc

**Chapter 40 : Witches & Faeries Inc.**

Flora's attention is drawn to the transportus as it begins to hum. First to emerge is Shego followed by Miss Griffin and then three of the toughest looking Cat-Witches she has ever seen.

"Wo-Hu secure the perimeter," orders Miss Griffin.

"By your command," says Wo-Hu in a military fashion. "Maisha, Kamala, come with me," Wo-Hu orders the other two.

"Whoa!" thinks Flora. "This is getting serious big-time."

Miss Griffin marches over to Icy's wheelchair and is about to have angry words with her until Icy lifts her head and Miss Griffin sees the bony hollowness of her face. "What has happened to you?" she exclaims.

"She went on a death walk," interjects Shego before Icy can reply.

"You said nothing to me about this, Shego," says Miss Griffin angrily. "You could have at least told me something about this before I came."

"If you really want to hear something that will blow your mind," says Shego angrily, "you'll want to know that we are no longer The Trix but The Quadrix."

Miss Griffin is sputtering, totally flabbergasted, until Alysoun joins the group. "How long will it be until she's recovered?" she asks Alysoun with an almost maternal expression.

"A couple of weeks? A couple of months? A year or two? I don't really know. We will have to allow time and nature to take its course," says Alysoun honestly.

"And yes," says Vulpa who has come to join them as well. "Shego, Icy, Darcy and Stormy are now officially a quadrix."

Overwhelmed, Miss Griffin makes for one of the chairs and sits down. The transportus hums once more and through its portal comes Miss Faragonda followed by Bloom, Stella and Musa.

Darcy immediately locks eyes with Musa as an angry snarl works its way across her lips. "You can forget it, Darcy," says Musa before she can utter a single word. "In fact, you can tell Riven that we're through," and drops into Darcy's hand the ring that he had given her.

"What is the meaning of this?" asks Darcy, perplexed.

"Just what I say it means," says Musa. "I've broken up with him. He's all yours. I'm engaged to someone new."

Darcy is over her shock in a second. « Most of the fun of possessing Riven was to upset that pixie, Musa, » she thinks. « Maybe I should check out this new guy. He may be more worth stealing than Riven, » then yelps when a clawed glove suddenly grabs her shoulder.

"You shall leave them alone – both of them," whispers Shego acidly into Darcy's ear. "You have what you wanted. Take Riven and be satisfied before you get hurt." Darcy hisses, breaks free of Shego's grip but, upon turning and seeing the angry snarl on Shego's face and her plasma lit fist, feels suddenly afraid and slithers away.

Shego makes her way to the knot of Faeries and Witches that is crowded about a vid-screen and everyone explaining with much animation and excitement what was discovered to the two matriarchs while Darcy heads off to a far corner to sit and stew.

"Well I see," says Miss Faragonda, "but you should have informed me of this sooner."

"This is the Witches' discovery, on their turf, and therefore this is their theatre of operation and their rules," asserts Bloom.

"Don't be so hard on them, Faragonda," says Miss Griffin. "They were doing exactly what I would be doing in this situation. Congratulations young ladies. Well done."

"Well…," begins Miss Faragonda, and Stella reinforces her stand by favouring Bloom with a Royal Princess "We are not amused," glare.

"I believe she understands why she in particular was kept out of the loop," thinks Bloom of Stella, "but I will have to do something special for her to appease any hard feelings."

« You should include Darcy in all of this, » whispers Lady Pree in Shego's mind, « it's important that she feels that she's part of the team and not the odd Witch out. »

« I can see the importance of this but I'm reluctant to restore her powers to her, » sends Shego to Lady Pree. « I have no idea what task I can set her to. Even if I were to restore her powers, there is not much use for illusion and delusion here. »

« She has other non-magical skills, » points out Pree. « I have learned that she's an accountant at Cloud Tower and also has excellent secretarial skills. In fact, you have enough here to organize everyone into a small company of sorts. »

« How so? » asks Shego.

« Believe me, » replies Pree. « I have been around long enough to know how people tend to work in groups. I think you already know how important it is to keep both Witches and Faeries integrated and co-operating with each other as a team. So, you have Darcy to manage finances, supplies and record-keeping, Tecna and Stormy for research and technical, Flora for medical and mental well-being, Stella and Musa for public relations – although you may want to pair Musa and Darcy for better group integration. »

« Yes, » says Shego, « but isn't Musa and Darcy together a sure-fire formula for flying fur? »

« True, » sends Pree, « but with your help they will have to learn to work out their differences and work together. It is not good to keep them separated and nursing their personal grudges against one another. It will put your abilities as leader to the test but overall it should work out for the better in the end. Lastly, the Cat-Witches are site security, Bloom, Icy and Wo-Hu are coordinators and spokes persons for their respective groups and you, Shego, are head honcho. I'd say you have your work cut out for you. »


	41. A Stellar Explosion And A Metal Box

**Chapter 41 : A Stellar Explosion And A Metal Box**

"Faragonda and I are about to take leave of you," says Miss Griffin, breaking into Shego's conversation with Lady Pree. "I expect you to provide me with weekly reports on your progress. I have told Wo-Hu that she is to report to you in all matters having to do with security."

"We are on our way as well," says Alysoun. "Vulpa and I have people who are in need of us at Cloud Tower."

"What about Icy?" asks Shego.

"She'll be fine here if she sticks to her diet," replies Alysoun. "Either Vulpa or I shall be in at least once a week to check on her."

No sooner have the matriarchs and the two healers passed through the transportus when an argument erupts among The Winx. Bloom herds the Faeries to a corner and erects a privacy shield but it is transparent and even though one could not hear a word, it is obvious what is going down.

Stella is furious and looks as if she could render lead molten in her mouth and spit it out at Bloom as musket balls. Bloom is standing her ground and refusing to back down on her position. Flora is begging for peace and Tecna is trying to assert reason. Musa, looking upset and angry, is however siding with the others leaving Stella to stand one against four.

Stormy and Darcy are standing together watching the action from outside.

"It looks like all is not well in Faerieland," says Stormy.

"Yeah," agrees Darcy, "and perhaps they will kill each other and leave us with five fewer pixies to contend with."

"Hey!" thinks Stormy angrily after Darcy. "I like Tecna and she treats me a lot better than you do even if we are not blood sisters."

After a week, Shego notes that the conflict among Stella and the others has burnt itself out and all appear to have kissed and made up. The team integration of Witches and Faeries also seems to be working out well except for Darcy and Musa. After a week of having to break up as many fights in as many days and receiving a report from Wo-Hu that she, Kamala and Maisha broke up the same number of confrontations each, Shego decides that maybe drastic measures are required to establish a lasting peace between them and get the team into full production.

Shego makes a wider search of The Ship and finally finds what she is looking for: The Ship's brig. Beside it is an interrogation room with an intercom and a transparent Alfeanium one-way window, no inside handle and bolted to the floor a square metal table and two uncomfortable metal chairs at opposite ends that are also bolted to the floor. "Perfect," thinks Shego.

Two days later, Shego escorts Darcy and Musa into the interrogation room on the pretext of conducting their weekly meeting but then lays a laser sabre on the table and exits locking the door behind her before the two can say a word.

"Here's the sitch," comes Shego's voice, cold and tinny over the intercom. "You'll stay there until you agree to put an end to your fighting, one of you kills the other, you both kill each other or you both rot in there and die. But be warned that if you come out saying you have made peace and afterwards any of us has to break up a single fight between you, then I'll see you both thrown into the brig and, by your Goddess, you'll spend the rest of your lives there. I'll be back in a few hours."

"Forget it, Musa," says Darcy to Musa who is scanning the room for an exit. "This room is constructed of Alfeanium. There is no escaping."

"I am without my powers while Musa still has hers," thinks Darcy, sizing up the situation and her opponent. "My only hope is the laser sabre but make a move for it and Musa can kill me instantly with a sonic blast."

"Shego has chosen well," thinks Musa. "It's too cramped in here to fly and I can't use any of my sonic attack spells without them bouncing back and killing me. My only hope is the laser sabre but leaning for it puts me well within Darcy's striking range. With her denser body and a significantly longer reach, all she needs is one well-placed blow to kill me.

Musa sits and spreads her hands out on the tabletop and Darcy does likewise.

"So, you are really giving Riven over to me?" starts Darcy.

"How many times must I tell you so, Darcy? Yes, he's all yours," replies Musa hotly. "I thought that that would put an end to hostilities between us."

"Never!" hisses Darcy.

"Why not?" yells Musa, not believing this.

"Because you're a pixie and I'm a Witch," retorts Darcy angrily.

"Stop calling me a Pixie! I'm a Faerie," snarls Musa, slapping the table with her hand.

"Faerie or pixie, you're still winged vermin I want to crush," growls Darcy.

"It's useless," thinks Musa. "How can I argue against that?"

Darcy and Musa continue to glower at each other across the table until Musa sees Darcy make a sinuous, serpentine movement with her head and arms that jars awake something in her memory.

"What are the terms that the Witches use for Darcy in any arguments with her? Snake, serpent and viper – that's what. What if it goes beyond just names?"

Musa breathes deeply to calm herself and then begins to sing a song with the sweetest, melodic and hypnotic rhythm she knows from the Planet Melodia.

"Are you singing for your supper, Musa?" snarks Darcy but Musa continues to sing."

"Say, that's kind of nice," says Darcy, her head and shoulders swaying. Then it filters through to Darcy's conscious mind what Musa is doing to her. "Stop!" she protests but she is already trapped.

Still singing, Musa reaches for the sabre and works her way behind Darcy. "One quick blow to her head and it will all be over," she thinks.

« Are you a Witch or a Faerie? » a Faerie voice whispers in Musa's mind.

Musa struggles to ignore it and raises the sabre to smite a killing blow to Darcy's head. « Are you a Witch or a Faerie, Musa? » repeats the voice. « Have you forgotten the teachings of The Goddess and Aisha? » and Musa blinks back tears as memories flood back to her.

There had once been a sixth member of The Winx Club. She was a dark-hued Faerie named Aisha from the Planet Andros who had power over a type of fluid plasma called Morphix.

One fateful day, Aisha and Bloom were on the Planet Sparx while it was still tight in the grip of the Ancestress' spell that made it a frozen wasteland. Their goal was to assess the planet's status and to determine whether it could be revived with Morphix and Dragon Fire. Icy suddenly showed up driving a snow daemon before her with the intent of causing the two Faeries a lot of mischief. However, the snow daemon broke free of Icy's control and turned on her. Aisha rushed to Icy's rescue but was unaware of the snow daemon's long reach and slashing claws until too late. It smote Aisha but gave Icy the moment needed to freeze it solid. Icy rushed to the downed Faerie but it is obvious Aisha has taken a mortal blow. Aisha died in Icy's arms – her last word being Icy's name before the light of life in her eyes faded then is gone forever. Until that day, Bloom never knew that Witches could weep or feel remorse and Icy never would have believed that a Faerie would give up her life to save a Witch. But that was Aisha – perpetually champion of the poor, weak, sick, hungry and misunderstood. She was the one constantly there to remind the members of The Winx Club of their obligation to not just Talk-The-Faerie-Talk but also to Walk-The-Faerie-Walk. It took hours before Bloom could persuade Icy to release Aisha's body. Icy, however, entombed Aisha in a clear ice crystal that is so cold that it shall last for a thousand eternities and can still be seen on Sparx to this very day. "For you, Aisha," whispers Musa tearfully then lays the laser sabre back on the table and steps away.

Musa returns to her chair, sits down and speaks softly to Darcy. After a few moments the intercom crackles. "It looks that you have come to an agreement," says Shego.

"Yes," replies Musa. "We've decided to get along."

The door opens and Musa and Darcy walk out. Shego looks at the far away expression on Darcy's face as if she has died and is now in Witch heaven. "What's happened to her?" asks Shego.

"She's just traded a peace agreement for a song," replies Musa.

"For a song?" asks Shego, her eyebrows lowered in question.

"Yes," Musa nods, "and if a song is what is required to hold her to it then I'll sing my hearts out to her every night for the rest of my life."


	42. A Visit to Pixie Village

**Chapter 42 : A Visit To Pixie Village**

Settling the feud between Darcy and Musa still did not stop the griping and grumbling among the Witches and Faeries. Shego had wanted to send out teams of two to explore the ship thinking that several teams could complete the job more quickly than just one. But then, the Faeries complained that there are more Witches than Faeries on site and if a group of just two Witches were sent out, who is to say that anything important they find wouldn't be kept secret from them. The Witches are upset that the Faeries had to be present at all until Shego points out that Tecna is the only one who is in any way fluent in Kimiran and has a technical background. When it is suggested by a certain Witch that only Tecna should remain on site, Tecna and the others of The Winx protest long and loudly against the idea. Finally, everyone agrees that all should explore the ship as a single group but two of the three Cat-Witch Guards would remain on guard outside the ship. After three weeks of searching and finding nothing significant, Icy, who is still confined to a wheelchair, complains that this is wearing her out and that she would rather remain at the Comm Station and rest. Flora then volunteers to remain with Icy lest she be in need of attention while all were absent.

Searching the ship continues to be an exercise in frustration for, except for general facilities, all the remaining compartments are locked solid. Eventually, a compartment is found with a sign on the entrance indicating that it is the Captain's Stateroom but it too is securely locked down.

"Well, this door, like the rest of the ship, is solid industrial grade reinforced Alfeanium," says Shego. "There is no way that either Icy or I can teleport through it. I won't be able to vaporize it either but maybe if we combine our powers, Bloom, we can burn through it."

"We could possibly get through," replies Bloom, "but the intense heat required to even soften this grade of Alfeanium would vaporize everything in the compartment behind it."

"What are the chances of finding the correct combination to unlock it?" Shego asks Tecna.

"The keypad is alpha-numeric," explains Tecna, "which means that there are at least forty unique characters. Depending upon how many characters one needs to select from these and in what order, it could take between seven hundred to twelve hundred years to find a single correct combination unless we are extremely lucky. And that, I might add, is if I could maintain break-neck speed without letup for all that time."

"This is ridiculous!" protests Stormy. "Even Cloud Tower, which is the securest castle in all Alfea, has secret passages and portals hidden throughout it. I would think that there would be something similar here for emergencies if we can somehow detect it."

"I've got it!" cries Bloom with an eureka look on her face.

"Got what?" asks everyone in unison.

"Lockette," says Bloom triumphantly.

"Lock-a-what?" asks Shego.

"She is the Pixie of Locks and Portals," explains Bloom to Shego who is looking at her with a drawled "Okay?" expression.

"The right person for the right job," adds Tecna.

"Someone will have to go to Pixie Village and fetch her here," says Bloom. "But their village is hidden out in the boondocks of Alfea. There is no transportus nearby and it would take one of us a week to fly out there and another to fly back."

"I can go there in a fraction of a second," says Shego, "if I have an exact location."

"Done easily enough," says Tecna, producing a holo-map suspended in air. "It's here," she says, indicating a spot in the Northern Hemisphere that appears to be mostly dense forest."

"The Pixies are very wary of strangers," says Bloom, "so show them this when you get there. They will recognize it and know the message you bring comes from me," and places a golden tiara in Shego's hand.

"Return to the Comm Station," Shego tells everyone. "I'll bring her there," and vanishes before their eyes.

-oOOo-

Shego arrives a quarter kilometre from Pixie Village and is wiping the perspiration from her forehead when she realizes how close she may have come to materializing inside the trunk of a giant tree instead of the open forest. Using her powers, she has come to learn, is risky business if she didn't have precise forehand knowledge of where she was going. "You owe me for this, Bloom," she thinks to herself.

Shego hears the sounds of the village before she spots it. Someone named Digit is telling all how much more efficient things could be if done this way instead of that, followed by someone telling someone else named Chatta to hush up and let others have a word in edgewise. When she parts the final branches, she gazes upon a faerietale village complete with little mushroom houses, a Faerie castle in the background, and little people with somewhat oversized heads flying here and there blissfully about their business. "How adorable!" she exclaims.

"The Trix!" goes up the alarm as all the little people vanish into the houses slamming the doors behind them in panic.

"It's okay. I'm not here to do harm to any of you," says Shego gently, biting her tongue so as not to add 'sweet little people'. I have been sent among you by a Faerie named Bloom in search of one of you named Lockette."

"Bloom!"

"Bloom?"

"Bloom?" hears Shego echoed by dozens of different voices.

"Bloom sent me to find Lockette and bring her to where she is," says Shego as softly and gently as possible while removing Bloom's tiara from her leg pouch and placing it on the ground. "Is Lockette here?"

Shego waits a long minute until a door of one of the mushroom houses slowly opens and one of the little folk with purple hair steps out cautiously and makes her way to the tiara on the ground as others also venture out. "It's true," she calls to them, "this is really Bloom's tiara."

"You are then Lockette?" asks Shego, and the Pixie standing beside the tiara nods, "Yes,".

"Who are you?" demands a miniature version of Stella flying up to her with her hands on her hips.

"Chatta!" exclaims someone's scolding voice from the crowd of Pixies.

"I'm Shego," announces Shego.

There is a sudden hush and then a burst of laughter about the village while Shego rolls her eyes heavenwards, groans and thinks, "Not again!"

"No, I'm not a Pixie nor am I that mischievous," she tells them.

"You are a Faerie then?" asks Lockette.

"No," says Shego, deciding to be up front and truthful, "I'm a Witch."

"Like The Trix?" asks Chatta nervously.

"I'm their leader," replies Shego. "And we are no longer The Trix but The Quadrix."

With that, Chatta loses her bravery and cries, "She must have killed Bloom and eaten her up and then taken her tiara!" then flies to hide behind the hooped skirt of a Pixie dressed in blue and white with hair done up in ringlets. "Save me, Tune!" she whimpers.

"Chatta! Really!" huffs Tune then moves aside.

"But Tune!" protests Chatta. "The Trix is so evil so The Quadrix has to be worse."

"Not necessarily," speaks a mature voice from the crowd.

"Queen Ninfea, Princess Ariel!" exclaim the Pixies, bowing towards two figures in royal attire.

"A trix by definition is unstable and tends towards evil," explains Queen Ninfea to her subjects, "but a quadrix is stable and leans towards good."

« I shall pray to The Goddess that she is strong enough to control them, » comes a thought into Shego's mind.

"Lockette, Amore, check her out," commands Queen Ninfea, and two Pixies bow to her then fly to Shego and hover with their hands held out before her just level with her chest.

"Yes," says Lockette. "Her heart is complex and has many passages like Bloom's of which some are very dark. There is a lot of frustration and a tendency towards anger and impatience but there is also a lot of good within her."

"I sense that too," says the Pixie identified as Amore. "She is suffering the pain of a heart broken by those she loved and is now just starting to heal. But she is strong and brave and overall good."

"How did she discover that?" thinks Shego amazed.

"Well, I like her!" states a Pixie who looks like a bumblebee wearing racing goggles. "I'm Zing," she announces. Then Shego sees her transform in to a miniature Witch with a pointed hat and mounted on a broom who cackles, "Welcome, my pretty pretty," then a character in a trench coat who in a masculine voice tells her, "Stick with me kid and you'll go far," then a blonde haired woman who sighs, "So nice of you to have come up to see me this time," and finally a robot-like character who holds out her hands and says, "Gimme five, Clive."

Amused, Shego holds out her index finger for Zing to grasp and shake.

"We have to get going, Lockette," says Shego, while kneeling to return Bloom's tiara to her leg pouch.

"Well, if Lockette is going, then so shall I," states Chatta.

"And if Chatta is going," says Tune, "then so shall I. Someone has to make sure Chatta behaves like a lady," and Chatta frowns as a ripple of laughter goes through the crowd.

"Bloom may need someone with technology," says a Pixie the others call Digit.

"What about us?" asks Amore who is holding an infant in her arms. "I would like to see Bloom too and Piff has been lonely for a Faerie ever since we lost Aisha."

"Yes, you may all go," says Queen Ninfea.

"Okay, all aboard," says Shego as the Pixies seat themselves on her shoulders and crossed arms. "Hold on tight," and is on her way but not before she sees Zing waving a cowboy hat over her head and hears her shouting, "Hi-ho, Silver, and away!"


	43. A Joyful Reunion

**Chapter 43 : A Joyful Reunion**

The Witches and Faeries are making idle conversation in the Comm Station when Shego suddenly materializes in their midst with her passel of Pixies.

All the Pixies let up a joyous cry when they realize that they have been reunited with their bonded partner. Amore, however, is floating with Piff in her arms before Stella and, although glad to see her, is frowning. "What about poor Piff?" she asks. "She has no one since Aisha was killed," and tears begin to well in her eyes.

Piff, hearing her name, opens her eyes but they fall not upon either Amore or Stella but upon Stormy. With a cry of delight, Piff flies to her and lights atop Stormy's puffy blue-black cloud of hair and is immediately curled up upon it fast in blissful slumber.

"Hey! Hey!" yells Stormy reaching up to comb Piff out of her hair with her fingers but then lets her arm drop as she takes on a calm and dreamy look. "O Darcy," she sighs, "you_ have got_ to try this!"

Darcy stares at Stormy and then at Icy who makes a short laugh and shrugs. "It looks like you have a nasty infestation there, Stormy," she tells her little sister. "I'll get rid of that for you. Hold tight while I get the flyswatter."

"Darcy!" drones Shego.

"What's the big?" protests Darcy. "I was just kidding. I wasn't going to hurt the little darling (« not much ») or did you want me to swat that bug on your shoulder too?" she adds, frowning at Zing. "Sheesh, just because you are all comfy-cosy with the Cat-Witch Guards doesn't mean you can be Ms Bossy-Whiskers all the time." But then a snarling Maisha confronts her with a switchblade sized claw touching the tip of her nose and Darcy is suddenly thinking that it would be prudent for her to be silent and bide her time but already in her mind she is formulating plans to serve Maisha a very cold dish of vengeance.

Bloom is now looking askance at Zing who is seated possessively upon Shego's shoulder. Zing mutates into a muscle-bound figure who in a deep voice drawls, "Saw she's a vitch. You haufe a praublem vit daut?"

"Okay," says Shego, "enough of the chit-chat. Time to discuss the reality with the ship at hand," and indicates the trestle table with chairs about it. So they all seat themselves about the table – Zing still seated on Shego's shoulder, Piff asleep on Stormy's cloud of hair and the rest of the Pixies seated on the table before their bonded Faeries – and start to discuss the problem of the locked doors and the mysteries that may be hidden behind them.


	44. The Captain's Stateroom

**Chapter 44 : The Captain's Stateroom**

Everyone is gathered about the door to the captain's stateroom in great expectation and, because this promises to be a momentous event, Shego extended an invitation to all three Cat-Witch Guards to attend.

"Lockette will require absolute silence while she works her magic on the lock," says Bloom. "Go ahead, Lockette."

Lockette begins her probe of the door and, although all remain silent, Stormy is already fidgeting and shifting her weight from foot to foot. After fifteen minutes she is about to break her silence when Lockette announces, "I've got it."

"You have the combination?" asks Bloom.

"Better than that," replies Lockette proudly. "I believe that I have what may be the master override command. It's _haleqwa._"

"Open Sesame?" asks Icy, grinning.

"No, just 'override'," replies Tecna. "But that to me seems a tad too easy."

"I agree," says Stormy, frowning.

"Well, I say we should try it," insists Chatta.

"A little protection beforehand," says Icy and with a wave of her hand everyone is wearing a shimmering second skin. Flora and Tecna are then snapping on latex gloves and start their headband audio-video recorders rolling.

"Okay, just as we agreed," says Tecna. "Flora, Icy and I will enter in first. Flora and I will take samples and secure the area, then we'll allow the rest of you to come in. Don't touch anything before asking either Flora or me first."

_"Haleqwa," _says Tecna but the door does not open or budge. Frowning, she tries again with no results.

"Are you sure you have it right, Lockette?" asks Bloom.

"Yes, I'm certain of it," says Lockette slightly peeved that anyone would question her abilities as a locksmith but even though she too tries it several times the door defiantly refuses to unlock.

Then everyone tries from Shego down to the Cat-Witch Guards with their thick feline accents but to no avail.

"That is getting us nowhere fast on hyper-drive," humphs Darcy cross-armed.

"I thought it was a little too easy," says Stormy. "There must be a second element that we're missing. Perhaps there is a security mechanism that prevents just anyone from overriding the locks. And that information is probably restricted to a trusted few."

"Yes!" exclaims Tecna, slapping the side of her head and looking at Stormy with a "Why hadn't I thought of that?" expression. Tecna clears her throat and repeats the command in a perfect imitation of Kimira Moonstone's voice and inflection.

"Clear the door!" warns Shego when she hears tumblers beginning to shift into place, remembering her experience when opening the ship's outer hatch. But the expected whoosh of foul smelling air did not happen and peering in she sees that the room is already brightly lit.

"Well, that saves us a lot of trouble stumbling around in the dark," says Tecna.

"I can hear ventilators working," says Musa. "They must have restarted when Stormy restored the ship's power." However, despite that and Icy's second skin, Maisha is soon in distress – her eyes watering, her nose running and in the grip of violent fits of sneezing. Wo-Hu decides to escort her outside for some fresh air while Darcy grins nastily behind her hand.

Tecna and Flora walk into the stateroom but Icy decides to wheel to just inside the doorway where she can sit and watch the two Faeries. After two hours, she wheels out of the doorway and invites the others in. "It's spacious enough for everyone to come in but don't touch anything and don't go into the cordoned areas."

Shego looks about and first notices a blue and yellow cat suit sprawled out belly down on a sofa and surrounded by a pile of dust. Then, turning she sees a blue uniform flopped out on a reclining chair also in a pile of dust.

"She'a and Roland," says Tecna pointing to each of the garments. "The bodies were intact when we entered but as soon as Flora and I attempted to take samples, they both crumbled into dust. But we have our records and uncontaminated samples."

"How can you be so sure who they are?" asks Shego.

"Look over there," says Tecna, pointing to a group picture of a smiling threesome with Roland in the middle with his one arm about She'a on the left and his other about Kimira Moonstone on the right.

"They have pointed ears!" exclaims Shego, for the first time seeing the two women with their long hair tied back. "I hadn't noticed that from Kimira's recording."

"Pointed ears, perhaps," says Stella, "but no way are they Faeries."

"What makes you say that, Stel?" asks Bloom.

"We have seen Kimira's and now She'a's uniforms," points out Stella, "and, unless we find other garments to prove otherwise, no Faerie would wear anything with a closed back without wing slits."

"So…?" asks Shego.

"How else would a Faerie be able to deploy her wings?" Stella puts to them. "And wings enclosed in fabric like that would create the ideal breeding grounds for wing worms, scale lice and other pests."

"Wing worms, yum, yum," snarks Stormy.

"Shut up, Stormy!" yells Stella. "That's not amusing in the least. You've never had them so you have no idea how painful they are!"

"Grr!" growl Stormy.

"Enough!" shouts Shego in her in-command voice. "Stormy?"

"I'm sorry," mumbles Stormy with her head bent in shame.

"Yeah, fine," replies Stella, accepting Stormy's apology with bad grace and frowning.

"Stel-laa," drones Bloom, "She's made an apology to you now accept it like a Faerie," but Stella only turns her face away and Bloom tightens her lips.

There is an awkward moment before Stormy says, "Have you noticed something else a little strange?"

"Like what?" asks Shego.

"There are two chairs and one sofa with an empty glass near each but only two bodies," says Stormy. "There must have been someone else here too."

"I see something under the empty chair," says Musa.

Tecna kneels down and carefully picks up a malignant green capsule with her gloved hand and puts it with a few more such capsules in an open box on the coffee table.

"May I take a sniff of that?" asks Darcy and Tecna carefully picks up the box and holds it under Darcy's nose. "They're suicide capsules alright," she announces. "Most likely derived from some sort of snake venom. One component paralyzes the nervous system and another clots blood into so much sludge. They barely had time to put the glasses back on the table or on the floor before they died. But this type of poison also bears out Stella's observation that they were not Faeries."

"The easy sleep to The Goddess," whispers Flora, sadly quoting from Kimira's final message.

"I think our missing person is Kimira," chokes Stormy. "She faked taking the capsule and, when she knew for certain that Roland and She'a were gone, she went back to the helm to insure that her final message would activate when her hand was removed from over the switch."

"Yes," says Shego, "that's exactly what happened when I tried to move her hand."

By this time, the impact of all has moved everyone to deep sorrow. The Pixies are holding onto and comforting each other, Flora and Stormy are weeping openly and Kamala is keening softly with her ears down, her whiskers drooping and her tail dragging the floor.

"It is a little too late to mourn for them," says Icy softly but emotionally. "I do not condone nor condemn what they did but they really had no choice. It was either the 'easy sleep' or a slow and agonizing death from asphyxiation or starvation."

"What shall we do with their remains?" asks Musa.

"They believed in The Goddess," says Flora, "so their dust should be set free over Lake Roccaluce as is the tradition on Alfea."

"I agree," says Icy. "Witches also release the ashes from a funeral pyre over Lake Roccaluce. I think they would want this too."

A few days later, all are gathered at the bluff over Lake Roccaluce. It is a simple service that ends with Musa and Stormy singing a lament in duet while Icy accompanies them on a double recorder. Stella, Darcy and Flora lift the three earthenware urns into which the dust had been collected and reverently pour the dust out into the wind to scatter over the lake then drop the urns over the bluff to smash against the rocks below.

"Return to The Goddess in peace, Kimira Moonstone, She'a, Roland and innocent unborn one," chants Tecna in Kimiran. "And, yes, Kimira. New Alfea is once again a beautiful and thriving planet for which we give you and your comrades our most grateful and eternal thanks."


	45. What Is That?

**Chapter 45 : What Is That?**

Lockette's discovery did turn out to be the master override so locked apartment after locked apartment became suddenly accessible to all. After a week though, the novelty of exploration wore off and became more and more depressing as children's, adolescents' and infants' bodies also show up among the dead. So most quit the group exploring the ship to attend to other duties which left Shego, Stormy, Tecna and Flora, who were often accompanied by Zing and also Piff, who refused to be budged from her new nest on Stormy's cloud of hair, to continue the exploration of the ship.

Darcy and Musa became occupied with the massive task of collating what the Exploration Team continued to collect into organized files, catalogues and reports. After failing to acquire Stella's assistance, though, Musa found herself more and more involved in preparing public relations materials. Icy and Bloom took on the task of drawing up similar documents from Darcy's originals which had to be translated from Witchspeak into High Alfean for the benefit of the Faerie populace.

Stella became engrossed in examining the clothing from all the apartments once released to her by Shego. Most of the clothing turned out to be made from woven Alfeanium and worn like body armour. Stella deduced that it could stop a Dragon's Fire blast or a solar wind blast and perhaps even Shego's plasma fire but was unwilling to give up the smallest scrap to have her theory tested out. The method by which Alfeanium could be processed in to clothing turned out to be untraceable even when exhaustive searches were run through the Great Clothing and Style Database on Solaria. Even Tecna faired no better when searching the Great Database on Binos. Stella's attempt to then go by style also ended in frustration because the styles are so generic that they could have been manufactured by several thousand presently living or now extinct peoples that could not be narrowed down any further for they lack so much as a garment maker's label. "The only thing this proves," Stella grumpily concludes, "is this is no pleasure cruise ship."

Shego later raided She'a's wardrobe and tried on one of her blue and yellow cat suits which fit her like a glove. Then she shocked everyone by suddenly materializing in the Comm Station wearing said suit and for a moment had everyone believing that she was She'a come back from the dead. But, as time went on, Shego came to like She'a's clothes and wore them as much as her own.

The Exploration Team continued its search of the ship. Meantime, Shego assigned Stormy the task of doing all the still photography.

One day, Stormy is photographing the contents of a newly opened apartment when she walks over to a large hammock to photograph its contents then, nearly dropping her camera, she runs back to Shego pointing and screaming, "What is that – that freaky thing?"

Shego walks over to the hammock and peering in sees the mummified remains of a hairless pink rodent with a long shady tail. "It's a naked mole rat," she tells Stormy.

"A naked mole rat?" asks Stormy.

"Yes, that's right. It's a naked mole rat," she says then thinks, "and if those Faeries start singing a chorus or calling for a 'Boo-yah!' I swear I'm going to slap them silly."

"Tecna," calls Shego. "There is a tag of some sort on this body. Does it say anything useful?"

"It's his name tag," says Tecna. "He is a mechanic and an engineer and his name is Roovuut," and then giggles.

"What's so funny?" asks Shego, frowning.

"This must be his nickname," says Tecna. "In Kimiran it means 'Cheese-Lover'."

"It makes sense," thinks Shego to herself but aloud says, "Rufus?"

"That is a possibility," admits Tecna. "Kimiran is a harmonic language so how a word is pronounced depends upon what comes before and after it. How did you know that?"

"Never mind," replies Shego then walks away.

"She knows something she's not saying," Tecna whispers to Flora.

"Yes," whispers Flora, wincing, "and it has her really upset."

That evening, Shego is sitting in her provisional office in back of the Comm Station feeling totally freaked out and on edge because of Stormy's discovery of the naked mole rat. "This is just_ too_ much of a coincidence," she thinks. "I need to get in contact with Kim and bring her here to get her input." Then, after briefing Icy and Darcy that she is bringing back someone she knows from Terra as a possible consultant, she vanishes.


	46. Help Us, Kim

**Chapter 46 : Help Us, Kim!**

On Terra in a town called Middleton, a young woman with red hair and green eyes and dressed in a cheerleader's uniform is grabbing a hasty bite to eat then rushing out the door thinking, "I'm almost late for the squad meet." As she hurries around a corner, she smacks into another young woman with long raven hair wearing a blue and yellow cat suit.

"Just the person I was hoping to run into, Princess," says Shego with an amused smile.

"Shego, unless you and Dr. Drakken are cooking up some world threatening trouble, I have no time to fight with you," says Kim.

"Kim, I'm calling a truce," replies Shego. "Something bigger than the two of us has come up and I need your help right now."

"But..." Kim starts to protest but Shego is insistent.

"Take my hand!" Shego orders her but when Kim refuses to take it, Shego just grabs it and for Kim the world begins to swim.

When Kim opens her eyes, she finds herself standing in a huge room like some sort of drill hall. A group of women, seeing her, comes running quickly towards her.

_"Wil sha!" _exclaims a redhead in greeting while taking her hand._ "Bíi zha letha 'Bléom' wa. Báa zha nitha?"_

"Huh?" says Kim confused.

_"Béeli bith dohéeya ra Bléomeshub wi," _says a brunette soothingly, while taking Kim's shoulders in a comforting way. _"Béeli en ra bi Lefedaneth wo."_

_"Mutazeo qaq!" _snarls a girl with puffy blue-black hair, stepping rudely in front of Kim and fixing her with an angry, aggressive and in-her-face stare.

_"Bí dea-bhéasach, Leffi! Tá sí ár n-aoi agus nach bhfuil an namhaid,"_ growls a different brunette at the one with the puffy blue-black hair.

_"Narvalakh qaq-a!" _snaps a woman with jet-black hair done up in a high ponytail who is seated in a wheelchair.

"Forgive our little sister, Stormy," says the dark-haired woman apologetically in English. "A certain little Witch here doesn't know how to behave herself in the presence of company."

"Could you fix her up with an interpreter spell, Icy?" asks Shego in English of the dark-haired woman.

"Certainly," replies Icy. "Have her stand still for me."

"Hold tight," Shego warns Kim. "This will sting a bit but it's over quickly," and before Kim can reply an intense light flashes before her eyes and she is stumbling to maintain her balance.

"Easy, Sweetie," says a soothing voice. "It will be over in a bit."

Kim slowly opens her eyes to find that she is being supported by the same brunette who had held her shoulders a moment before. "Are you with us?" she asks her, smiling.

"I guess introductions are now in order," says the redhead who had first spoken to her. "I'm called Blu…" and is suddenly cut off when a string of glowing orbs comes between them and then starts to circle about Kim's head.

"Who is she?"

"Oh! She's pretty!"

"She has a very good and kind heart."

"Ga-goo?"

"I calculate the accuracy of that at 99.9% − maybe higher."

"Fine, but who is she?"

"Hush up, Chatta!"

"Ouch! Zing, stop twisting my ear!"

"Ladies, some decorum, please!"

The glowing orbs finally settle down to a string of pearls and Kim is slowly able to make out little people with wings. "Are you Faeries?" she asks awestruck.

"No," says one of them in a blue dress with her hair in ringlets, "we are Pixies."

"But we_ are_ Faeries," says the redhead and Kim goes bug-eyed with her mouth agape as the redhead and her four companions unfurl gorgeous, vibrantly coloured wings, making Kim feel about to faint in a swoon.

"You're not in Kansas any more, Princess," laughs Shego as the brunette Faerie once again takes Kim's shoulders to steady her.

"So, let's try again with introductions," says Bloom. "I'm Bloom the leader of The Winx. Holding your shoulders is Flora."

"Hello," says Flora shyly.

"This is Musa," says Bloom, introducing an Asian looking Faerie wearing short pigtails.

"Let there be harmony," smiles Musa, momentarily holding her hand.

"These are Tecna and Stella, Princess of Solaria," concludes Bloom, introducing Ms Bebe and Her Royal Highness Amelia.

"We are Tune, Lockette, Amore, Chatta, Digit, Zing and Piff," says Tune, introducing herself and the others of the Pixie circle.

"I'm Icy," says the woman in the wheelchair and these are Stormy and her sister Darcy," pointing to the one with puffy hair and the other brunette.

"And we are Witches," states Stormy aggressively, "so you had better not think of messing with us!"

"Sheesh! Stormy!" shouts Darcy giving her sister a hard swat to the back of her head. "We said, 'Enough!'"

"You are really a princess?" asks Stella.

"Everyone, meet Princess Kimberly Ann Possible of Middleton," says Shego before Kim can open her mouth – all the while Bloom tries to hide a smile, realizing Shego's joke being played at Stella's expense.

"Well, dawling," says Stella, frowning at Kim's cheerleader's attire. "A princess needs vastly superior raiments to these – and Moi will help you select your perfect wardrobe."

"So, is this the same redheaded pixie you say is causing you all this trouble?" sneers Stormy while Kim frowns at Shego. "Why, I could witch her up good for you with an arm behind my back."

"I wouldn't try it, Stormy," warns Shego. "Kim's strength and speed are on a par with mine. She could break your arms and hang you out to dry before you could even blink."

"Why would I want to do that?" asks Kim while Stormy, now not so certain of herself, is giving Kim a closer second look-over. « What's_ her _ish? This so-called Witch is so cruisin' for a bruisin' but no way is she going to sucker me into throwing the first punch, » Shego hears Kim thinking blackly.

_"Adspice atque disce," _whispers Shego urgently into Kim's ear.

***** For the benefit of you who need a translation:**

_"Let there be harmony! (Hello!)" _exclaims a redhead in greeting while taking her hand._ "My name's Bloom. What's yours?" _(Alfean)

"Huh?" says Kim confused.

_"Don't stress her out, Bloom," _says a brunette soothingly, while taking Kim's shoulders in a comforting way. _"Maybe she doesn't understand Alfean." _(Alfean)

_"Who the heck are you!" _snarls a girl with puffy blue-black hair, stepping rudely in front of Kim and fixing her with an angry, aggressive and in-her-face stare. (Witchspeak)

_"Be polite, Leffi (i.e. Stormy). She is our guest not our enemy,"_ growls a different brunette at the one with the puffy blue-black hair. (Gaelic)

_"Knock it off you two!" _snaps a woman with jet-black hair done up in a high ponytail who is seated in a wheelchair. (Witchspeak)

[Snip!]

_"Watch and learn," _whispers Shego urgently into Kim's ear. (Latin)


	47. The Blue Fox

**Chapter 47 : The Blue Fox**

Almost immediately after introductions, Kim is bombarded with a thousand and one questions by all hoping she has answers about the Kimiran and other mysteries of the ship. She views the documentary Darcy has put together from footage taken within the ship but, although she has to admit that there is a striking resemblance among Shego, Ron and her, she can offer no insights into the Kimiran nor anything about the ship. Kim feels disappointed not being able to help because her own curiosity about the ship has been aroused. Tecna then suggests that perhaps Kim has been rushed too quickly into the situation and if given some time something that is now flopped will be flipped.

Meanwhile, Stormy is someway off pacing back and forth and having a hissy-fit with herself.

« You had better defuse that, » Pree warns Shego but it is Kim who is suddenly turning her head looking this way and that.

« Yes, » agrees Shego. « The last thing we need is another ticking time bomb on our hands, » and again Kim is looking about confused.

« I think she hears, » warns Shego.

« For the Goddess' sake, stop looking about, girl! » snaps Pree in Kim's mind.

"Kim, could you come over here, please," calls Shego, trying to sound casual. "We need to discuss your lodging."

When Kim is close enough to her that Shego can hide her with her body from the others, she says to her, « Stay still and don't say a word out loud! Can you hear Pree and me talking as if from within your head? Blink twice with your eyes if you can or try to think of your answer and direct it to us. »

« I hear you, » comes Kim's reply, hesitantly but clearly.

« Are all Terrans telepathic? » asks Pree

« Maybe we are but just don't develop it – a lost talent perhaps, » Shego replies.

« Kim, this may be hard for you at this moment but you have to make peace with Stormy, » says Shego with a gentleness she finds confusing.

« Secondly, you have to keep quiet about our gift of telepathy. Only a rare few of us have it and it is one of our greatest edges and weapons on Alfea, » continues Shego.

« Alfea? » asks Kim.

« Yes, Princess, » laughs Shego in her mind. « This is your new home for a time. »

« What does Stormy have against me anyway? » asks Kim. « She's been giving me nothing but nasty 'tude since I got here. »

« You're a threat to her, » explains Shego. « I was told that one of the main differences between Faeries and Witches is that Faeries charm their way to success while Witches contend with each other for success. Right now, Stormy can only see you as another Witch coming to contend for her position and to push her even further down in the pecking order. She'll be out to make sure that you don't unless you can convince her that you're not a threat. »

« I know how to handle her now » says Kim leaving Shego's side and walking towards Stormy.

"Bonnie…." begins Kim and Stormy scowls at her having obviously been hit on a raw nerve.

"Hey, only my Da gets to call me his Bonnie Girl!" yells Stormy. "What do you want anyway?"

« Tell her you think that she's beautiful and intelligent and that you would like nothing better than to have a Witch such as her as your friend, » Shego feeds her.

« That's not so hard, » sends Kim. « She'd be a looker if she'd just ditch that awful make-up job and put on a nice smile. »

It is a hard sell for Kim trying to convince Stormy of her intent to be just friends until Kim sees the Pixie named Piff fly over and light in Stormy's nest of puffy hair. The change that then comes over Stormy is immediate and after fifteen more minutes of discussion, Stormy accepts Kim as a new sister.

Stormy and Kim are sitting together on a mat upon which is an open case. Stormy is busy applying make-up on Kim's face. First she sets a blue base after which she does the cheeks, nose and forehead in fox red and then with black she highlights the bridge and underside of Kim's nose and finishes it with whiskers in black and silver along the upper lip and cheeks.

"What is that supposed to be, Stormy?" asks Shego after Stormy applies the final touches.

"I was aiming to make her look like one of Vulpa's people," says Stormy, "but her face is just a little too roundish to carry it off."

"A Fox-Morph?" questions Shego.

"Let me see!" exclaims Kim taking the mirror Stormy offers her.

"She's made me a Blue Fox!" gasps Kim. "But how did you know that I am a Blue Fox?"

"It just seemed right," replies Stormy with a shrug.

"Oh, I can just hear Junior now," Kim laughs. "Come to me my dearest Blue Fox and I shall shower you with love forever!"

"Oh, we haven't chased a Blue Fox-Morph in ages, have we sisters?" comes a voice behind Kim. "How fast can you run, Blue Fox?"

Kim turns around to find herself face-to-face with the three Cat-Witch guards. In a flash, Kim is on her feet and assuming a fighting stance. "This Blue Fox runs for no one!" she challenges them.

"Wo-Hu!" scolds Shego. "She's just arrived. Don't frighten her into a heart attack so soon."

"Aww," says Wo-Hu, disappointed, "and we've been just itching for a good chase."

After Kim regains her composure and introductions are made, Kamala tilts her head and with a double-eyed wink asks, "So is this a new recruit for the Cat-Witch Guard?"


	48. Kim Or Kimira

**Chapter 48 : Kim Or Kimira?**

Sometime later, Kim wakes up with a splitting headache. "Oh, my head!" she moans "Why is everything so loud and bright?"

A little ways, she sees Shego sitting on a mat with Icy's head in her lap and a crowd about her. Two in the crowd are the strangest creatures Kim has ever seen and is wondering why for whatever reason is she not freaking out about it as she did when first meeting the three Cat-Witches.

Something is wrong she knows. She moves to stand behind the one who looks like a fox and looks on. Everyone has strange steady light about her except for Icy whose light seems to be flickering like a candle flame trying to stay alive in a breeze. "Shego?" she asks hesitantly.

"Not now, Kim!" replies Shego sharply, not looking up. "We have an emergency on our hands."

Kim hears the thrum of wings then sees Flora racing in. "What, by The Goddess, is going on?" she demands. "I could feel the distress from deep inside the ship!"

"Icy's had some sort of relapse," says Stormy, distraught and with tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Well, she's not dying, thank The Goddess," chirps the birdlike creature. "She's awfully weak, though. Has she been following her diet?"

"I have been supervising it myself," asserts Shego. "She's been eating like a wolf."

"Has there been any vomiting?" asks Flora.

"None at all," states Shego and the others of The Quadrix confirm her statement.

"It's like she eats but derives very little nourishment. She's running on fumes," says the birdlike creature, frustrated. "She can't keep going on like this forever."

"Alysoun, I've seen something like this before," says Flora. "Do you remember how sickly and scrawny Lucy was before I found a cure for her eating disorder? This looks to be the same or something very much like it."

"Can you help her, Flora?" asks Shego.

"Please, Flora, help her if you know what to do," pleas Stormy with desperation in her eyes.

"Do you want me to try, Alysoun?" asks Flora. "All the plants and herbs I need can be found in the jungle. And I'll see what the others might do to help her too."

"Give it your best," replies Alysoun with a soft trill of assent. "I'm at a loss so right now anything goes."

"Is that why Icy's halo seems to be flickering?" asks Kim.

"Yes, Sister, that's right but it's called an aura not a halo," chides Vulpa gently. Then, turning to look at Kim, frowns at her with her one ear down in question. "But wait!" she yips in surprise, "How can you see that? I thought for a moment you were one of my people."

"Yes," says Flora. "I was going to ask you, Shego, if this was someone else you've brought from Terra."

"What?" begins Shego but then looks up to see a redhead with the Pixie face of Bloom, vaulted two-toned lips, gently pointed ears and enormous glowing green eyes who is standing beside Flora. "Who are you?" she asks.

"What do you mean?" says Kim, miffed. "I'm Kim. Who else would I be?"

Then Darcy looks up and gasps, "By The Goddess, she can't be! Kimira?"

As soon as Tecna hears of Kim's miraculous metamorphosis, she flies to the Comm Station with her sample collection kit in hand and collects a new set of samples from her and rushes off. Within a few hours she is back and with an expression of revelation, confusion and shock pins several charts to the tack board.

"The long and short of it," starts Tecna with awe and wonder, "is that somehow Kim has somehow mutated from what she was upon arrival to being Kimiran."

"Waaa!" exclaim the others with mouths agape.

"Look here," says Tecna, pointing to the first two charts. "This is Kim upon arrival. Do you see these three spots here? Let's call them Kimiran Tags. When I did the first profile of Kim's DNA these Kimiran Tags were dormant but now, as you see on this next chart, they are lit up as if with Dragon's Fire. Now look at the third chart which is She'a's and you can see that the same three tags are active."

"What do these Kimiran Tags do?" interjects Bloom.

"Two enhance sight and hearing," explains Tecna. "For Kim, both these senses now rival those of Vulpa and Alysoun," and Alysoun and Musa give a low whistle of astonishment.

"That explains why Kim can now see aurae," states Vulpa, "but what about the third tag?"

"I'm not sure," states Tecna. "It seems to be linked with a brain function but what I can't determine as yet."

« Telepathy? » whispers Pree in Kim's and Shego's minds.

"But if you compare Shego's and Icy's DNA," says Tecna pointing to two other charts, "with She'a's you will see that this mystery tag is active in both of them but the tags that enhance hearing and vision are not."

"Forgive my asking a dumb question," asks Kim, "but why haven't you compared Kimira's DNA with mine?"

"Not such a dumb question," replies Tecna. "The problem is that we don't have a useable sample of Kimira's DNA. Shego contaminated the best source when she first opened the ship."

"We may still find a useable sample of Kimira's DNA if we can positively identify some of her possessions," says Flora. "A comb or a hair brush might have a strand or two of hair still caught in them."

"That then will be your next high priority task, Flora," Shego tells her.

Lastly, I have compared the pre-mutation sample taken from Kim with those of Bloom's adoptive Terran parents Mike and Vanessa. In all three cases the Kimiran Tags are there but inactive but the scary thing is this is not a natural occurrence. Someone or something has deliberately disabled them."


	49. A Big Row & A Wee Surprise

**Chapter 49 : A Big Row & A Wee Surprise**

"There is a row going down among the Faeries," Kim alerts Shego.

"What's going on," asks Shego, concerned.

"Bloom and Princess Stella are having a quarrel. Flora suggested that all the Faeries should help cure Icy but, although Bloom agrees, Princess Stella is making static because of some grudge she has against Icy. Man! She's such a snob! This chick would start a war over which end one should open her boiled eggs. She reminds me too much of Amelia."

"Whatever," says Shego and shrugs. "What's going on now?"

"Princess and Musa are at it now. Ouch! I think Musa just gave Princess a rap. She's screaming something about that one being from Aisha and the next will be special delivery from her. Princess has just flown away. I think I hear her crying outside somewhere. Who's Aisha?" Kim asks.

"A sad story. I'll tell you sometime," says Shego.

"Now Bloom is giving Musa what for with both barrels. Oh, is she tweaked. Man, she's really tweaked! She's just told Musa to fly straight or she'll tie Musa's wings in knots and set her butt ablaze with Dragon's Fire. I don't want to be in Musa's shoes right now. Now Musa's left the room with Tune chasing after her and putting in her two cents worth."

"Whoa!" says Shego, frowning.

"I can hear Flora crying and Bloom, Tecna and Chatta are trying to comfort her. Flora's telling them that being peace-maker has become unbearable and that she can't take any more and wants to go home to Lymphia."

"And you can hear all that with those pointed ears?" asks Shego.

"How can you not but hear them?" says Kim. "They're like screaming at the top of their lungs. I thought even you would hear them."

« You had better see into this. But you know, Kim, it's rude to eavesdrop on people, » says a voice Kim has come to know as Lady Pree.

« Sheesh! » groans Shego mentally. « No sooner do I solve one problem when five more crop up. »

« Yes, » agrees Pree, « but that's life and it is your duty as head of this company to resolve conflicts among your employees. »

"Is Stella alone?" asks Shego.

"No," says Kim, "Amore is with her. I hear her trying to calm Stella down but she's not getting too very far."

Kim offers to find Stella which suits Shego just fine because what she first has on her mind is a little discussion with Bloom.

Kim goes into the jungle and finds the blonde Faerie on the ground with her head on her arm and crying. "Are you alright?" she asks her then scolds herself mentally for asking such a dumb question when it is obvious that things are not alright. Amore is seated on a low shrub beside Stella looking distraught and at a loss for what to do.

"Hey!" says Kim gently stroking Stella's hair. Within a second of that, Stella sits up, throws her arms about Kim's neck and weeps on her shoulder.

"I thought we were friends," Stella chokes through sobs. "I thought we were like sisters forever."

"I'm sure you still are," says Kim, comfortingly. "Sometimes friends have to give friends a bit of tough love. I have twin brothers whom I love to bits but sometimes the only way to get them to learn an important lesson that doesn't reach them through their ears is by applying a sound paddling to their tweebish butts."

"And you are still our sister forever," says Flora, lighting behind Stella and rubbing her back while the other Pixies take a seat beside Amore.

"Forever!" echoes Bloom, while taking a seat before Stella along with Tecna and Musa.

"I'm sorry for hitting you," stammers Musa.

"But why, Musa?" asks Stella with hurt in her eyes.

"Because honestly, Stella," says Musa frankly, "you have become insufferable ever since your Princess Ball, your declaration as heir apparent to the Throne of Solaria and your marriage to Brandon. You act as if you are always seated on your gold and jewel encrusted throne, ringing your little silver bell and expecting us to snap-to and rush to fulfil your every wish. Well, Your Golden Majesty, we are not your ladies-in-waiting, your servants or your slaves so stop acting as if we are all now beneath you and trying to order us about. We want back the Stella who was our sister and our friend."

"Have I really been that bad?" asks Stella shamefaced.

"Yes," chorus all her comrades together.

"And there is still the matter of curing Icy," says Bloom. "Despite what we may feel about her, she is too important to leave to waste away and possibly die. We need her so we have to help her."

"You need to let go of your anger, Sweetie," says Flora softly. "We know of all the horrible things The Trix did to you when they held you captive. But hanging onto anger and resentment only destroys a Faerie from the inside out and makes her as black hearted and evil as we accuse the Witches of being. We don't want that happening to our Stella."

"It has been already five years ago and you can't go back and change a thing," says Tecna. "It's pointless so please let it go."

"So, you want me to contribute my Solaria Power to the cause," says Stella, "but even if I wanted to, there is not much I can give because another has greater need of it."

"What other?" asks Bloom.

"I am having pains in my stomachs and I have skipped two cycles…" begins Stella.

"Stella!" gasp her comrades.

"Is she telling us what I think she is?" asks Kim.

"You bet she is," says Musa. "Our Stella is to be a mom."

« It is a time of celebration but also of fear, » Pree informs Kim in her mind. « It is a cruel fact of being a Faerie that many will not survive her first pregnancy. It seems that Mother Alfea has chosen this time to weed out the weak among us. But Stella is young, strong and healthy. I don't see her being in any danger. »

"Oh, Stella," moans Flora. "You should have told us sooner. This explains a lot."

"It's testing every week from now until you have delivered," Tecna tells her sternly. "You must promise Flora and me that you will not be even fashionably late for your appointments," and all laugh.

"Do my ears deceive me or is someone of our troupe in whelp?" asks Vulpa with Shego, Darcy, Stormy and Alysoun joining the crowd about Stella.

"No, she's about to lay a clutch of eggs," laughs Alysoun.

"Fairies hatch from eggs?" asks Kim.

"No we give live birth," Tecna tells her. "But Alysoun lays eggs."

"You have just finished sending off your fourth brood of chicks, haven't you, Alysoun? Is there to be a fifth?" asks Darcy.

"Not if I can help it," whistles Alysoun. "Raising sixteen chicks is enough for any mother."

"Aww, Alysoun," counters Darcy. "You look so darling while seated upon your nest."

"Well, if you want to volunteer your head, Darcy, I'll try to hatch it," trills Alysoun.

"You'll hatch a rare bird from that egg, Alysoun," sniggers Stormy and Darcy wrinkles her nose at her sister and blows her a raspberry.

"Congratulations, Stella," says Stormy sincerely and Stella frowns in confusion. "Don't look so surprised, Stella. When it comes to motherhood we are all sisters."

"Yeah," says Darcy, "I'm almost jealous."

"Darcy!" interjects Stormy. "For The Goddess' sake get your mind from out of your panties. This is Stella's moment."

"Yeah, but I still think I'll pay a visit to Terra to check out this guy Kim calls Señor Senior Junior that she has told me about. He sounds like a hunk," smiles Darcy lasciviously with the tip of her tongue against her teeth and a wink and Shego looks at Kim, shakes her head and groans.

"I hear someone is about to have kittens," says Kamala, joining the circle.

"Go chase a mouse, Kamala," laughs Maisha. "Congratulations, Stella."

"Yes, congratulations, Stella," purr-speaks Wo-Hu, kneeling down to caress Stella's cheek with the furry backside of her hand-paw. "This is a big moment in any young woman's life."

"I still can't believe this," cries Bloom as the Winx gather about Stella for a group hug and a happy-weep.

"Brandon must be ecstatic," Bloom smiles.

"I haven't told him a thing," replies Stella. "I'm going to wait until I know that I am out of danger or until I start showing. Faën, Goddess bless them, are just underfoot at this time. If I tell Brandon now he'd be constantly following me like my second shadow, trying to do everything for me and having a nervous breakdown every time I so much as sneeze, fearing that I'm about to die."

"Men are pretty much the same no matter which world they come from," laughs Shego with Kim joining her.

"When is Stella's baby shower?" asks Kim.

"What do you mean?" asks Tecna. "Do you think Faeries rain babies every time they get pregnant?"

"No, no, Tecna," says Bloom almost in stitches laughing while the others look at her as if the poor darling has lost some of her marbles. "It is a tradition on most of Terra that when a woman is having or has had her first child that her friends gather for a party to offer advice on being a mother and to 'shower' her with gifts. The gifts are usually things the new mother needs when her baby first arrives."

"It is also a smashing good time for sharing dainties, dawling, drinking tea from decorated china cups and having a jolly old time of it – seriously," drawls Kim and Stella turns to smile at her while Bloom and Musa cover their mouths to stifle giggles, Flora struggles to maintain a straight face and Shego smirks.

"It sounds like a lovely custom," blushes Stella, "but I am not in need of anything for my baby. She'll have everything she needs and everything her little hearts could want."

"You're hoping for a girl?" asks Flora.

"Girl or boy," smiles Stella, "just so long as she or he is healthy with sound limbs, the correct number of digits on each and beautiful wings where required."

A few days later, Stella is seated beside an unconscious Icy, irradiating her with golden sunlight from her outstretched Enchantix wings, when Icy opens her eyes.

"I have heard about the risk you are running giving me your Solaria light," Icy tells her. "Please, don't sacrifice yourself and the life of your child on my account," then her mind seems to drift off for a minute. "I know I have done you a terrible wrong but I can't change that nor can I bring back Aisha for you. All I can offer you is my apology and beg for your forgiveness. But whatever you decide, I'm forever your Witch. Let anyone dare to harm you and she will rue the day she ever messed with my Faerie. Sisters forever," she murmurs while holding Stella's hand as tightly as her enfeebled body would allow her and then slips back into unconsciousness while golden pearls fall from Stella's eyes like gentle rain upon her face.


	50. Thoughts Upon Thoughts

**Chapter 50 : Thoughts Upon Thoughts**

Stella is sitting alone in the single apartment Shego delegated to her upon learning of her new condition and thinking, "I'm pregnant. I can't believe it. Me, a mother. Goddess grant that she'll be healthy and beautiful."

Darcy is raging in the Comm Station and thinking, "I can't believe that that ditzy blonde pixie is to be a mother. I am so jealous! I hate her!"

Bloom is in the apartment that she shares with Flora and thinking, "I'm so happy for Stella. I hope she gets all she wants."

Stormy is in the galley making a snack for herself and thinking, "I've never seen a baby Faerie. Will she be much different from us?"

Vulpa is walking alone in the jungle enjoying the scenery and thinking, "I can see the aura of Stella's baby already. I wonder if she knows or should I teller that she is to have a son. I should be thinking of a child of my own before it's too late. Goddess, let her not be cursed such as I."

Shego is seated upon a mat with Icy feeding her mealworm mash from a spoon and thinking, "Ishandra, get well my beloved. You must or I shall die without you. Flora, please find a cure."

Stormy is sorting the latest batch of photos taken from inside the ship but her mind is elsewhere and thinking, "I fear for Icy. I fear that she is going to die and take Darcy, Shego and me with her. I am so afraid but I dare not tell anyone – they would only laugh at me."

Musa is smiling to herself while listening to music in the apartment she now shares with Tecna and Kim and thinking, "It was fun going to Magix with Kim and Stormy today. I never thought I would ever buy clothes from the Witch side of Magix. It was funny to see Kim talk Stormy into a pair of cargo pants and a tank top. But, you know, she actually looked cute in them."

Icy is in a weak state of semi-consciousness but thinking,_ "Non posso credere che quella fata bionda abbia sacrificato la sua luce per me."_

Flora is working in the makeshift laboratory she's made in her new apartment that she shares with Bloom and thinking, "Eureka! That's it! Now I know what Icy's problem is and can start to work on a cure, thank The Goddess."

Stella is thinking, "Musa bought clothes on the Witch side? How gauche!"

Kim is watching the Faeries and Pixies flying in the golden light of The Huntress and thinking, "They look so carefree flying like that but I know they've their concerns and worries too. But still, this is a beautiful place and just maybe I'll make it home."

Tecna is working on a piece of equipment trying to unravel its mysteries and thinking, "It is logical that this is the way it should work… Oh my! Look at the time. I'll be late for Stella's first examination and testing. Bad show, Tecna!"

Darcy is dreaming and thinking, "Yes, I should check out this Señor Senior Junior. If he can give me what I want, then I'll arrange for Riven to have a little accident and be rid of him. No use in keeping him around. He can't give me what I really want and I can't even use him to torment Musa, and besides, that game's getting way past stale."

Kim is brushing her hair in front of her vanity trying to get used to her new Kimiran image and thinking, "If I remain like this, I'll never be able to go back to Middleton. My 'rents would freak if they ever saw me like this. Hmm…, I wonder what this planet would do to Ron and Rufus."

Shego is thinking, "Man, this is the worst time for Faragonda and Griffin to show up. I haven't a thing for them since Icy's relapse and I don't know how much longer I can keep playing that card as an excuse. Maybe they'll get bored early and leave."

Stormy is thinking, "Maybe I had Kim wrong all along. She's been nice to me and it was fun going shopping with her. I hope she'll stay and be my best bud. I'd like that."

Shego is thinking, "Maybe I'll just dump Darcy on the Seniors' island. Hopefully, she and Junior will hit it off and she will get her bellyful of brats. That's what she wants and maybe it will get her out of my hair. I'd almost feel sorry for Junior, though… Not!"

Darcy is thinking, "So Kim and Shego are rivals, are they? Maybe Kim will side with me in a battle against Shego and Icy. Should look into it."

Kamala is flat on her back looking up at the ceiling and thinking, "Goddess! She's fast! This is the last time I'll underestimate anyone from Terra."

Kim is thinking, "They'd look like Cuddle-Buddies if they weren't so darn big!"

Pree is thinking, "Now, while Icy's mental barriers are down, I should push to her the idea of re-evaluating her research on the Dragon's Fire. Finally, there may be a way of putting this battle between The Winx and her to rest."

Maisha is scratching her head and thinking, "What the heck's a Cuddle-Buddy?"

Kim is thinking, "I miss my mom and dad. I wonder how they and the tweebs are doing?"

Shego is thinking….


	51. School Away From School

**Chapter 51 : School Away From School**

If Kim thought that her visit to Alfea was to be a vacation, she was to find out in short order that she was sadly mistaken. Within three days, Shego had whole days full of classes lined up for her. There are classes in Alfean taught to her by Stella because the purest form of High Alfean is spoken on Solaria. However, it did little to change Kim's impression of Stella that she is a first class snob and in Alfean she sounded even more so. There are classes in Witchspeak given to Shego and her by Stormy – although Shego would have preferred to have Icy teach them, she is still too weak to be up to the task. Tecna insists that Shego and Kim also learn Kimiran because they are an integral part of the mystery. Vulpa then insists that she be allowed to give Kim a crash course in Auric Reading 101. Darcy is delegated the task of bringing Kim up to speed on the whole situation with the site. Finally, the Cat-Witch Guards wanted their turn to determine where Kim's fighting skills lay. Then there is K.P. duty helping to prepare and clean up after meals and other shared tasks in the upkeep of the site.

Musa and Kim hit it off famously, having the same tomboyish background, and found that they also had similar tastes in music. Stormy, by Kim's reckoning, is not such a bad kid after all now that she stopped being so up-tight and defensive about everything. With Kim and Piff as catalysts, Musa and Stormy started to get along and the three of them often found themselves together in the evening after work and driving Tune crazy with their unladylike antics.

Icy, thanks largely to Flora, is on the road to recovery and within a week is loudly protesting having to drink cup after cup of Flora's concoctions. When one day she refuses to drink any more, Shego tells her that she will either drink it down without complaints or she and Flora will find another orifice through which to get it into her. Given that choice and seeing the determined expression on Shego's face, Icy suddenly decides that Flora's potions didn't taste so bad after all. After a week or so, she has gained back enough strength to be once again able to sit and move around in her wheelchair but still not strong enough to stand on her feet or fly. The other Faeries contribute what they can towards Icy's recovery. Bloom warmed her joints and kept them supple with Dragon's Fire, Stella continued to warm the rest of Icy's body with Solaria Light which stimulated the body's production of certain vitamins and hormones, Musa used her skills in harmonic therapy to ensure relaxation and sound sleep, and lastly, Tecna with the three Cat-Witches started giving Icy physiotherapy to help strengthen her enfeebled limbs so she could once again start to walk.

While convalescing, Icy finds she has a lot of time on her hands for thinking. Everything in her life has been turned topsy-turvy. She now forms part of a powerful quadrix and, because of her bond with Shego, has acquired many new powers that she has yet to understand and master. The hardest thing she now has to deal with is her new relationship with the Winx. If it were not for them, she would not be alive today. Bloom and Tecna rescued her from the jungle. Flora cured her body's ills with her botanical magic and potions. Both Bloom and Stella gave of their rejuvenating fire and light and for Stella it was even at the risk of endangering her life and the life of her baby. And Musa's harmonic therapy helped her to relax. By Witch law from time immemorial it means that she now owes the Winx a life debt and any to whom you owe such a debt becomes your sister forever. Equally important is the law that states that anyone who saves your life is never to be repaid with harm or evil. Those who break that law forfeit their lives – usually by beheading. How then is she to get her Dragon's Fire from Bloom who is now her sister and to whom she can do no harm or evil? But every moment she closes her eyes to think on it, a voice seems to whisper in her mind that she should go back and re-examine her research and thereby find the solution to her problem.

Meanwhile, after a blow-out baby shower, the Winx are still all a-tweet and a-twitter over Stella's pregnancy to the point that Flora is almost rooted to the floor of Stella's apartment and has to be shooed out for Stella to have some privacy or get to sleep. In the Comm Station Stella is all a-tweet and a-twitter telling everyone how her baby will be named Starla and how she plans to paint the nursery that wonderful new shade of pink she created after blowing up the potion lab at Alfea College. The Witches, (except for Darcy who always chooses these moments to be away), are equally happy for Stella but, after hearing several weeks of she-this and her-that, Vulpa looks at Stella with her head tilted to one side and an ear down and suggests to her that she needs to paint the nursery blue whereupon Stella's golden eyes go wide and the others of the Winx look at her in surprise.


	52. A Recovery And A Departure

**Chapter 52 : A Recovery And A Departure**

"What do you see?" Vulpa asks Kim.

"Her main aura is a steady ice-blue and white and its edge is crimson," Kim replies.

"Very good!" praises Vulpa. "And what does that indicate?"

"Well, the steadiness indicates that Icy has recovered but is still very weak and the crimson edge means she's in love," says Kim and then giggles.

"Right again," says Vulpa, smiling. "But what do you find so amusing?"

"It's just because the edge of Shego's aura is also deep crimson," smiles Kim. "I would have never believed Shego caring or being in love with anyone except with maybe herself. It has really changed her."

"The discovery of this ship has changed everyone a lot," says Vulpa. "A few months ago this very group of Witches and Faeries would be at each other's throats instead of co-operating. Their aurae have also changed. Icy's aura also shows that she has become gentler and more introspective. And you can't dismiss the changes that have come over you."

"I still can't believe it either," smiles Kim. "I used to think of myself as just your average teenage girl but now I'm gorgeous. I know so many girls at school who would be so jealous if they could only see me now."

"Don't let it get to your head," admonishes Vulpa with a wink.

In short order after Vulpa and Kim report their findings to Shego, she calls a meeting with Alysoun, Flora and them in what is still called the Faeries' Boardroom but is now being used by all.

"I guess that you have all heard the good news about Icy's recovery," says Shego, "but I would like to know what her problem was to begin with."

"Her problem," replies Flora, "was her gut was swarming with the wrong kind of flora and fauna – maybe due to her death walk but I cannot say for sure."

"Okay," says Shego, "but could you explain a bit more for me?"

"Everyone's intestines – including both Witches and Faeries – contain organisms that help break down food for digestion. Under normal circumstances, this is a symbiotic relationship but, in Icy's case, her intestines were morbidly overpopulated with these organisms to the extent that they became parasitic. In other words, they were stealing all the nutrition from whatever Icy ate before her body could absorb any. Icy was starving to death amid plenty. Alysoun also told me that Icy's intestines were full of parasitic worms when they rescued her and brought her to Alfea that she and other healers at Cloud Tower managed to kill and flush. But parts of her intestines have been scarred by that attack which just aggravated the problem. Icy can thank The Goddess to be alive. But she must be tough material to begin with to withstand a double hit to her body like that."

Flora pauses for a moment to allow everyone time to come up to speed with that until Shego gives her the nod to continue.

"Alysoun and I hooked her up to be fed intravenously," continues Flora. "Then, I gave her a potion to kill the existing organisms in her stomach and intestines and another to flush her out."

"Ewww," says Shego, wrinkling her nose, "so that's what that was all about."

"After that," says Flora, "I had to gradually reintroduce fresh flora and fauna of the right kind into Icy's stomach and intestines and re-adjust the acid balance so they wouldn't grow rampantly once re-established. She is now restored to health and will now derive nourishment from what she eats. In fact, she has gained back a significant amount of weight already."

"Our auric readings of Icy confirm that," says Vulpa, "but she is still weak and will need physiotherapy to get back on her feet and to fly once more."

The next day, Shego assigns apartments to The Quadrix because all the room in the Comm Station is gradually being taken over to make work areas. Darcy and Stormy are assigned an apartment to themselves while she and Icy take up residence in another. Yet, the Witches and the Winx find that they still have to work together in the Comm Station which is now one open work area.

Stella is now even more excited, chatty and bubbly since learning from Vulpa that she is to have a son and that her condition has become obvious. Because of that, Darcy's jealousy of Stella goes from seething to boiling. Finally, it explodes into all-out rage when Stella's incessant chatter about her baby boy this and her baby boy that and how fashionable she'll look in the maternity wear she has designed herself provokes Darcy into marching over to her worktable, banging her fist on the tabletop before Stella and screaming at her for The Goddess' sake to stuff a sock into it and allow her and everyone else to have a moment's silence or she and her precious pixie brat will find themselves stewing in her Witch's cauldron. This has Stella on her feet and about to have at Darcy when Maisha quickly steps in to break it up and then has the two of them up before Bloom and Shego for disciplinary action.

After dismissing Stella and Darcy to go to their apartments and remain there for the rest of the day, Shego turns to Bloom with a sigh.

"We can't allow this to continue," says Shego to Bloom. "I thought by now Stella would want to go home to Solaria to give birth."

"It's not going to happen," says Bloom. "It's too dangerous to send Stella home through the transportus and, even if we call to Solaria and ask for a ship to take her home, King Radius won't allow it for the same reason. At best he'll send the palace midwife to stay here which we don't need because both Flora and Tecna have been trained as midwives."

"Then it's Plan B," says Shego.

"If that's the only recourse – whatever that is," replies Bloom.

After Bloom leaves, Shego goes to her apartment and starts searching through She'a's wardrobe. She settles on a flamingo-red, low cut, ankle length chi pao with a floral design stitched in gold filament. To this she adds knee-high black stiletto boots, a gold choker with a black onyx in centre and a matching pair of earrings. The final touches are to do up her hair with bangs and long Musa-style pigtails, some black lipstick and a splash of man-catching perfume.

Darcy is sitting in her apartment stewing and sulking when she hears the doorbell chime. She answers the door and Shego in her chi pao swivels in.

"This is hardly the attire one wears when about to serve a reprimand," snarks Darcy with a humph.

"Forget the reprimand," Shego tells her. "I want you to shower, freshen yourself up, pack your bag and then get dressed up to kill. You and I are going on a little trip."

"To where and for what?" asks Darcy, frowning.

"We are taking a trip to Terra to pay a visit to someone you've been wanting to meet since Kim told you about him," says Shego and Darcy's eyes go suddenly wide and bright.

"Don't even twitch!" grins Darcy. "I'll be right back."

When Darcy comes back, she is wearing a blue amethyst chi pao similar to Shego's with a gold and red dragon motif made in sequins so skilfully placed that the dragons seemed to glide provocatively over her body as the light catches them from different angles. To this she has added a pair of blue amethyst coloured open-toed high heels. She has put on a light base with a touch of blush, mauve lipstick, mauve highlighter on and over her eyelids and lengthened her eyelashes with mauve and silver flecked mascara. Her brunette and amber streaked hair she has tied back in a simple tress held in place with a feathered silver barrette and on her ears are matching earrings.

"How do I look?" asks Darcy, smiling.

"Bewitching!" exclaims Shego and they both laugh.

Shego then notices how Darcy's hair, pulled back as it was, exposed her elfin ears to an advantage. She is about to suggest to Darcy that she cover them then comes to think with a smile that they gave to her an ethereal and exotic beauty. Besides, in that dress, Junior is going to be so busy gawking and drooling over Darcy's other attributes that he would probably not even notice her ears.

"Señorita Go!" exclaims a genteel looking elderly man with wavy silver hair as Shego and Darcy suddenly appear before him. "How nice to see you again," he greets her – now accustomed to Shego's appearing and disappearing at will despite long since dismissing her as Junior's tutor in crime.

"Nice to see you again, Señor Senior Sr." smiles Shego offering him her hand.

"And who is this beautiful and charming young lady?" he asks.

"Senior Sr., Sir, I would like you to meet my friend Darcy," replies Shego then whispers to Darcy, "Offer him your hand – No! Your other hand!"

"Welcome to my humble home, Señorita Darcy," smiles Señor Senior Sr. graciously.

"Cute custom," thinks Darcy as Señor Senior Sr. takes her hand for a perfect hand kiss but aloud she says,_ "Nesaleah qaq."_

"Huh?" says Senior Sr.

"Darcy's here to meet Julio Jr.," cuts in Shego. "Is he here?"

_"Xhoolio?" _asks Darcy in a whisper.

"His real name is Julio as is his father's. If you wish to make a good first impression for him, call him Julio. Only his father calls him Junior and he doesn't like it much," whispers Shego.

"Junior," calls Senior Sr., "Come. We have visitors."

Junior comes rushing in then catches sight of the two exotic looking women. "Father," he exclaims, "you should have said that we have ladies as our guests. I'm not properly attired and my hair isn't fixed with La Goop."

"You look just fine to me," thinks Darcy, having the advantage of her Witches' interpreter spell.

"Junior," says his father, "you know Señorita Go and this is her friend Señorita Darcy who has come especially to see you."

"Xhoolio," coos Darcy seductively, offering him the proper hand, which to Junior it sounds somewhere between a cougar's cough and a serpent's hiss, but, realizing that it is Darcy's attempt to say his real name, he smiles broadly and gently kisses her hand. "I'm honoured, Señorita Darcy, that you have come especially to see me," he tells her.

"You're tall, tan, handsome and buff," says Darcy in Witchspeak to Junior, smiling alluringly at him with a slow double wink of her jade eyes. "Come here, lover. Let me inspect your other attributes," but to Junior, who lacks an interpreter spell, she's saying:_ "Selinach, vekoolevk, nada, fasa qaq. Mesulikh, verasu qaq. Elmil-qaqra tuvassasu nekh."_

"Thank you…, I think," replies Junior puzzled and does a respectable repetition of Darcy's last two sentences.

"Oh, you like what you see, do you?" purrs Darcy while doing a slow pirouette, allowing Junior to view her from all sides and angles. "Well, I like what I see too. Let's go over there and get to know each other better, shall we?" then, taking a firm hold of Junior's belt, tugs it, leading him towards two empty beach chairs at the end of the long pool.

"Father! What's she doing?" protests Junior, blushing red as Darcy leads him away.

"Go with her, my son," chuckles Senior Sr. "Awww, to be young and falling in love! I've never seen Junior so bewitched by a woman since that short-lived romance with Señorita Rockwaller. Maybe he'll settle down with this Señorita Darcy and I shall yet see grandchildren."

"Be careful what you wish for," laughs Shego. "You may get more than you've bargained for," then thinks, "I'll give it thirty minutes more then, if Junior hasn't come across with what she wants, Darcy's going to start pointing at it or more likely start ripping his clothes from off his body with her bare hands."

"You know, Señorita Go, I've been without a wife now for a long time," says Senior Sr., eyeing Shego up and down. "I may have snow on my roof but I'm sure there's plenty of fire left in my furnace. And I'm sure there are plenty of other ways I can please a young wife. What do you say, Señorita Go?"

Shego is about to start laughing when she hears_ « ¡ Humana humana ! » _from the elder Senior's thoughts and comes to the shocking realization that this is not just an idle question but a from-the-heart proposal and that he is not playing games with her – and her heart nearly stops then and there.

"Yikes!" thinks Shego. "Time for this lady to make her exit."

"Just hold that thought for a moment while I go powder my nose," she tells him.

"Awww, very well," sighs the old gentleman. "You know where it is."

Shego walks to a filigreed partition and spies Darcy and Junior looking starry-eyed into each other's face, restores to Darcy a diluted version of her powers and whooshes herself back to Alfea and to the Comm Station.

"Phew! That was too close!" breathes Shego once back.

"Whoa!" exclaims an oriental voice from behind her. "A chi pao no less!"

Shego turns to see Musa standing behind her making appraising eyes at her.

"Who is this _femme fatale_?" teases Kim.

"I think she wears it well," purr-speaks Wo-Hu. "It's also a traditional dress on my home world."

"It's a classic but a keeper," smiles Stella.

"So, I take it that this was part of Plan B?" asks Bloom. "So where is Darcy now?"

"She's on a tiny private island in the middle of a vast ocean on Terra," replies Shego.

"You didn't!" gasps Kim. "Poor Junior! You know who'll be wearing the pants in that relationship."

"I don't think he's going to mind any," smiles Shego. "This also puts to rest a big problem with Darcy."

"I hope Darcy'll find happiness at last," says Stormy sincerely.

"I think we all hope that for her," says Flora.

"Now," says Bloom, "I want to hear all the juicy details."

So, Shego recounts to them Darcy's and her adventures on the Seniors' island and by its end all are giggling and blushing.


	53. A Visit To Middleton, Part 1

**Chapter 53 : A Visit To Middleton, Part 1**

I guess it is time to bite the bullet and let them know," sighs Kim, holding her upgraded Kimmunicator in hand.

Four months, by Alfean reckoning, have passed since she arrived on Alfea and, although her parents and everyone else she knows are accustomed to her disappearing on special missions without notice, she felt that she owed it to her parents to let them know that she is safe, well and happy.

Tecna was all wide-eyed and excited when Kim showed her her Kimmunicator and couldn't believe that it was built on such a technically backward planet as Terra.

"This could have been made on Binos or on Alfea," Kim recalls Tecna saying in awe. "Just add a time dilation and dimension shift compensator and you can communicate with anyone in any part of the universe. If you trust me with it, I will have the proper component integrated into it by day's end."

"Sure," says Kim, handing her Kimmunicator to Tecna, "I trust you."

"I would surely like to meet the one who built this!" exclaims Tecna. "This little gem she's created is an electronic masterpiece."

"'She' is a 'he'," corrects Kim, "and his name is Wade."

A few days after Tecna returns her upgraded Kimmunicator, both Kim and Shego receive their Alfean Residency Certificates and cards which are the Alfean equivalent of a visa featuring animated holographs of them. For Kim both are portraits of her as a Kimiran. Shego then announces that she is taking a short trip to Middleton for about a week and asks Kim if she would like to come along.

"Yes," Kim tells her. "Sooner or later I'll have to let my parents know that I am still to be found among the living. I'm just hoping that, when I get back to Middleton, I shall revert back to my 'old' self."

Kim's hopes for a reversion are dashed, though, when two hours after returning to Middleton she has not changed back.

"I can't just show up looking like this," moans Kim. "They would never believe me even if I told them I was Kim their daughter come back home."

Kim opens her purse and sighs. "I have only ten dollars to my name but I still have my bank card if I can get to an ATM."

"You don't want to do that," advises Shego. "Using it will set off all kinds of alarms that will have the police come running and when your likeness doesn't match the one they have of you on file they will assume that you have a stolen card and there will be all kinds of trouble – believe me, I know. When we get back to Alfea, I would ditch all those old cards and IDs someway that's secure. Don't worry about money. I have that covered."

"How?" asks Kim, frowning.

"I always bring along something to barter with the natives," laughs Shego. "Diamonds are a girl's best friend because there are always takers for diamonds if you know the right places and have the right contacts. And here are one hundred grams of Alfean blue-ice diamonds that I made myself and drops a small leather pouch into Kim's hand."

An hour later, Kim and Shego are in a gem shop on the seedier side of Middleton. The guy running the joint, whom Shego introduces to Kim as Joe, takes her diamonds, weighs each of them, passes some sort of powerful light through each and takes careful notes of the results. A minute after crunching numbers on a desktop calculator he looks up and says, "I'll pay you five hundred and seventy thousand bucks for the lot of 'em." Kim was thinking that that was a fair exchange until she hears Joe gleefully thinking, « These are far more than just ordinary diamonds. They must be really strapped for cash or fools to let them go for a pittance. I'm going to make a killing on these! »

"He's trying to swindle us!" growls Kim in Witchspeak to Shego.

But Shego is also well aware of the attempt to rip her off for in a flash she has the guy from off his chair and dangling in the air in one hand and is brandishing a plasma lit fist under his nose. "Do you think I'm a fool to accept that! I expect a fair deal for these, Joe," she snarls into his face. "Shell out or you're in for a world of hurt." Shego drops Joe roughly back onto his chair and within seconds Kim sees a cool million dollars in a nondescript metal case appear on the desk. "Nice doing business with you, Joe," says Shego nastily as she and Kim leave the shop.

Shego is still steaming under the collar two hours after leaving the shop and teleporting to her hide-out with Kim and their loot. "What's the matter?" asks Kim. "Wasn't that a good deal?"

"You may think so," replies Shego, "but he's still swindled us – so he thinks. They are actually worth three times as much because of their special properties that he will discover in time and come to realize that they can't be from anywhere on Earth. Then he's going to curse his unlucky stars for losing his only source by not dealing with us in good faith. There's still such a thing as honour among thieves."

That evening, they go for take-out then it's back to Shego's hide-out to spend the night together. In the morning, Shego blinks Kim to a secluded spot near Middleton High.

"Here goes nothing," thinks Kim as she goes directly to her locker and opens it. She is standing behind the door searching through her stuff when she hears her name being called and picks up the familiar smell of overripe bananas. She closes over the door and is confronted by a surprised Ron who has come to a sudden stop.

"Oh!" says Ron. "I thought you were my friend, Kim," he stammers.

"Oh, man!" squeaks Rufus, putting his hand-paw over his eyes.

"Hello," he finally stammers. "I'm Ron Stoppable. Who are you?"

"I'm Bloom Flower-Child," replies Kim – unable to come up with a better name having been so suddenly put on the spot.

"How sixties," replies Ron – unsure whether to offer to shake her hand or to fetch for her a garland of poesies. "Nice name, Bloom Flower-Child."

"Thank you," smiles Kim.

"Well, I guess it's really true," says Ron sadly. "Kim has gone for good this time if they've given you her locker."

"Hey, hey, me, me," cries Rufus, tugging on Ron's pant leg.

"Oh, this is my friend Rufus," says Ron. "He's a naked mole rat and he lives in my pocket and Kim who was our friend used to own this locker."

"Nice to meet you, Rufus," says Kim now wondering if she should have followed Shego's and her own advice on assuming an alias.

"Hi ya!" squeaks Rufus, waving at her then looking into her eyes as though hypnotized.

There is an awkward moment while Ron stands eyes downcast and shuffling his feet. "Well, I guess I should be off."

"He looks so sad," thinks Kim as Ron is about to leave. "Hey, Ron, wait a moment."

"What?" asks Ron.

"You are the first friend I've made here. I have to take care of my own dinner after school so I'm free this evening. I really don't want to eat alone in a strange new city. How about we do dinner together? I'm really in the mood for Mexican. Do you know a good spot?"

"Do I!" exclaims Ron. "We can go to Bueno Nacho. Meet you here about four-thirty?"

"Perfect," replies Kim and giggles when Ron gives her that little boy and somewhat goofy smile that she has come to love so much in him. "See you then," she calls to him as he leaves.

"Just what I need – trouble," thinks Kim as she sees the school tough guy and his two stooges walking towards her. "I could give them ample reason to leave but I don't want to create a scene."

"Hey, good lookin', wha-cha got cookin'?" says Muscles as Kim winces at the cliché and corny pick-up line and turns her face away.

"Hey, look at that," says Muscles, "with those pointy ears she must be Tinker-Bell or a Martian."

"Na!" says String Bean. "Martians are green and Tinker-Bell's only an inch high."

"Maybe she's a Vulcan or a Romulan," puts in Podgy.

"I think her blood runs too hot for a Vulcan so she must be a Romulan," says Muscles. "So, how about a date, Lady Romulan?"

"Not interested," says Kim sharply.

"Oh, you'll ask that goof Stoppable out on a date but you won't date one of us? You think you're too good for us or something?" asks Muscles menacingly then shoves Kim into her locker door. "We've ways of fixing stuck-up rich bitches who think they're all that."

"Maybe her ears come off," says Podgy.

"Let's see," says String Bean, grabbing Kim's ear and yanking hard on it.

"Ouch!" yelps Kim at the sudden pain.

"Hey, they're real!" exclaims String Bean shocked and somewhat startled."

"Of course they're real," hisses Kim. "What did you think?" then shifts smoothly into a fighting stance. "And don't you_ ever _lay a hand on me like that again!"

"Oh, you're a feisty one, aren't you, pixie-face?" laughs Muscles, putting up his fists. "Well, come on then, Lady Romulan, zap me with your best shot."

"Hey, bozoes, buzz-off!" snarls a female voice, and Kim looks up to see Bonnie in a martial arts uniform with a brown belt about her. Still more surprising is the sight of Yori wearing a black belt and an angered expression standing beside Bonnie.

"We were just getting to know the new girl," shrugs Muscles.

"Well, it's not going to be on our watch," growls Bonnie, "so if you value your good health then get lost."

"I see you've met the Goon Platoon," sneers Bonnie as the three would-be bullies beat a hasty retreat down the hall. "Are you okay?"

"I've survived worse," says Kim, relaxing her stance.

"Sorry for the rotten welcome," says a brown-skinned girl who has joined them. "I'm Monique. Hi!"

Within minutes, Kim is surrounded by her old cheerleader squad wanting to meet the new girl.

"How did you get Kim's locker?" demands Bonnie once introductions are made during which Kim learns that Yori is now the martial arts instructor at Middleton High.

"Mr. Barkin gave me the combination and told me to clean it out for my own use and he'll put Kim's stuff in storage," explains Kim.

"With those looks, I bet he did it to have some eye-candy across from his office," whispers Tara and Crystal laughs.

"Take a gander at the cut of those clothes and those ears!" whispers Liz. "She looks like an elf or a faerie or some such," and Kim briefly relives an angry confrontation with Stella over having permanently disposed of her cheerleader's dress and top as "hideous peasants' rags that no self-respecting princess would ever be caught even dead in" and then without even a by-your-leave coifing her hair with magic into a short and feathery Alfean 'do which she refused to change back all in the name of fashion – "Dawling".

"If she sprouts antennae from her forehead and claims she can pick up radio waves on them," whispers Crystal, "I'm going to start freaking out – seriously."

"I'm already freaked out," whispers Marcella.

"Hey, Bloom," says Hope, "do you want to join our cheerleading squad?"

"What!" exclaims Bonnie, giving Hope a stormy look.

"Come off it, Bonnie," objects Hope. "We can't do most of our best routines now that we're a girl short. Give her at least a chance to try out."

"Thanks for asking," says Kim sadly, "but I'm almost three months behind since transferring. I'm not going to have time for anything else but study and catch-up," and then the bell rings.

"Awww," chorus her friends while leaving for classes. "She's nice enough but she'll never replace Kim," Kim picks up just before they split up and blinks back a tear.

Kim decides to follow her regular classes to catch up on what has been going on since she was whisked away to Alfea. To her surprise, no one questions her sudden appearance at classes or challenges her for an admittance slip or to see her student ID.

Kim is heading towards her next class when she again meets up with Monique.

"Hey, N.B.F., I've something for you," says Monique, handing Kim a business card from Club Banana, "and a little something extra," and adds a fifty-dollar new customer promotional discount card.

"Thank you but there is really no need…," Kim begins.

"Baby-girl," interjects Monique, shaking her head, "you've gotta get rid of that whoa-ho, faerie-tale dress and into something home-style for your own good. I'll see you at C.B. bright and early tomorrow morning. Okay, gotta go, S.Y.T." then both of them are rushing off to their next class.

And so it went for the rest of the day that no one seemed to notice anything unusual – not even when Mr. Barkin called upon her to answer a question as "Possible" and out of habit she stands up to answer. There is a ripple of laughter from her classmates when she introduces herself to them as Bloom Flower-Child but Mr. Barkin just asks her if she can answer the question which she does whereafter his only reaction is to say, "Uh, that's correct. Very good, Flower-Child." When Kim sits down, he turns his attention back to the blackboard and carries on teaching as though nothing is out of place.

During their date, Ron is a perfect gentleman in the extreme offering to Kim to pay for everything and even taking her order to the counter and bringing her meal to the table himself. There is no playing with his food, no clowning around or corny remarks and when Rufus is about to do the standard bean-to-cheese ratio check of Kim's burrito, Ron stops him with a sharp reprimand that such things were not done in front of a high-class lady.

"Huh?" squeaks Rufus, confused. "Okay," and makes a salute with his hand-paw.

The conversation comes mostly from Ron who talked all along about his friend Kim and how he misses her and how he wished her back. Kim realizes that he is just venting his sorrow but never realized how passionately – or lovingly – he cared for her and is somewhat shocked when she hears from him personal things about herself she never knew he ever knew.

"Tweebs!" thinks Kim angrily, "I'm going to get you good for this!" but is saddened when she realizes that she may never be able to see her parents or her brothers ever again – at least not as their daughter or sister.

As the conversation went on, Kim began to learn other surprising things. As soon as she was declared missing, the whole of Middleton turned out to search the city and every nook and cranny thereof. Then her parents used their influence to get the world-wide network of doctors and other professionals to search and be on the lookout for her. Wade set up a web site for anyone who had information to post on her whereabouts and kept his ear to the geek-vine for any news of her. Then everyone from whom she ever hitched a ride and all who felt they owed her their lives and their livelihoods joined the search. Even the underworld got involved with Señor Senior Junior leading the search for his missing "Blue Fox". Big Daddy Brotherson put up a huge reward for Kim's safe return which only produced a flood of false leads and attracted a host of Kim look- and sound-alikes trying to pass themselves off as the real deal. Dr. Drakken sent out his hive of robot Be-Be girls in search of her and also of Shego who was also missing. After a month, the Be-Be's report back to him that they have found nothing – then thinking that their failure to find either Kim or Shego meant that they were no longer perfect, they literally fell to pieces before the blue doctor's eyes.

"I think she's dead," Ron tells her, trying to put on a brave face but having the tightness of distress in his voice.

"Well, maybe it's time for you to look for a new girl," suggests Kim gently. "I hear Tara's looking for a new soul-mate. Maybe you should take up with her."

"Maybe with you too, Bloom?" asks Ron shyly. "But wouldn't that be like cheating on Kim?"

"I don't think she would see it that way," comforts Kim, reaching out and taking Ron's hand, "and if she is in Heaven she'd want you to find a new mate and be happy. That's what I believe she'd want."

Meanwhile, Rufus, who was busy snarfling nachos, is accidentally knocked off the edge of the table when Kim lets go of Ron's hand. It is only because of Kim's lightening reflexes that she catches him before he hits the floor and gently sets him back on the tabletop.

"Phew!" squeaks Rufus, wiping his forehead, and then begins to sniff at himself. Suddenly, he's rushing to Kim to sniff at her hand then running to Ron and grabbing the edge of his shirt sleeve, smiling and pointing at Kim squeaks, "Eek, eek, Kim, Kim, Kim!"

Ron looks at the beautiful redhead with the pixie face and ears who is sitting across from him and says to Rufus, "Sorry, Little Buddy, she's Bloom not Kim. Our Kim is gone."

"Uh-uh, uh-uh!" chatters Rufus tugging even more persistently at Ron's sleeve. "Kim, Kim, Kim!"

"I know what you're trying to do, Rufus," says Ron just as persistently, "but no. She's Bloom."

"Shall I walk you home?" offers Ron when their meal concludes.

"No," says Kim, "I have to meet someone at The Mall. See you Monday at school?"

"Sure," smiles Ron.

« Shego, pick up in five at Bueno Nacho. » sends Kim.

« I'm there, » sends back Shego.

"You are a really sweet guy, Ron Stoppable" says Kim once they are outside Bueno Nacho. "We should do this again soon," then kisses him Alfean style on both temples.

"I would like that," blushes Ron, turning away his face. "Perhaps…," he begins but then she's gone.

"What do you think, Rufus," Ron asks the naked mole rat who is standing in the palm of his hand. "I really like Bloom. Do you?"

"Kim, Kim, Kim!" chirbles Rufus.

"Whatever you say, Little Buddy, we'll just have to agree to disagree," Ron tells him. "But I have a strange feeling about Bloom that we'll be out adventuring with her soon."

"Adventures, yay-hey!" squeals Rufus making a victory-fist in the air.


	54. A Visit To Middleton, Part 2

**Chapter 54 : A Visit To Middleton, Part 2**

Kim wakes up Saturday morning and looks for a dress among the ones she packed that was a little less whoa-ho as Monique had put it. She slips on a dress that has a matching purse made of golden Solarian sun-spider silk and, although it hides all her naughty spots, it clings to her and shimmers in a way that no earth fabric does and, in Kim's opinion, still made her look awfully whoa-ho.

Shego teleports Kim to a secluded spot near The Mall but she still has to walk past her home on the way. She is standing before her home debating whether to take the leap now or later when the door opens and Jim and Tim fly out with baseball bats, balls and gloves in hand and nearly run into her.

"Sorry," say the twins together.

"It's okay," says Kim.

"Gotta go," say the twins and are rushing off.

"Romulan," says Tim as they run.

"Vulcan," says Jim.

"Romulan," insists Tim. "I'll lay you odds on it."

"You're on," says Jim, "but we've gotta hustle."

"Chicken," says Tim but by that time they are getting beyond even Kim's enhanced hearing.

In the next instant, her mother is out the door running towards her, "Kim! Kim!" she calls, "… oh!"

There is a frozen moment then her father is there taking her mother by her shoulders. "I'm sorry," he whispers apologetically, while looking into the face of the beautiful elfin redhead. "She thought you were our daughter. Come along, Ann, let's go back inside," he says, gently steering her mother towards the door.

"She has Kim's eyes," she hears her mother sob as they go up the steps – their aurae dark with the colours of heartbreak and despair.

"She does, doesn't she," says her father softly and sadly, "but she's some other girl – not our Kimmy-Cub," then closes the door.

"What's the matter with me? What was holding me back?" Kim screams within herself. "Why couldn't I open my mouth and say one word to them? Damn you, Shego, if you had only given me a moment to warn them before you whisked me off to Alfea!"

« I heard that, » sends Shego.

« Would you pick me up? I can't stand to be here. » sends Kim.

« I'm a little busy, Princess, » replies Shego. « Darcy's got me in the dating mood so right now I'm with this really hot hunk. He says I'm hot too…, but…, if he calls me his go-go She-Go Girl just once more, I swear he'll learn very suddenly and painfully what hot really means. Meet you at The Mall in, say, four hours. Gotta go! » and Kim bites back the urge to tell her, "You go She-Go Girl!"

Kim enters The Mall to find that she has arrived before most of the stores have opened their doors. She goes to a coffee kiosk and orders a grande sized caffè mocha with whipped cream and a ginger and molasses cookie but when she gets to a table and sits down, she finds she has no interest in them so just sits staring vaguely into the distance.

"Hello, g.f.," calls Monique coming with a demitasse of espresso to sit at her table. "You're here early. C.B. won't be open for another hour."

"Okay," says Kim dejectedly.

"What's the matter, Bloom?" asks Monique, her eyebrows knit with concern. "You look really down and out, girl."

"Oh, I just had a bad experience before coming here," says Kim, "and I'm really feeling homesick for my parents and my two kid brothers."

"I quite understand," says Monique. "Where are you from?" but Kim remains silent. "I see," says Monique sympathetically. "Something really bad went down at home?" and Kim nods. "Then you don't have to tell me a thing about it if you don't want."

"Thank you," says Kim.

"Well, shopping always cheers me up," says Monique. "And I can get you an exclusive inside tour of C.B. before it opens. Come with me."

"You sound like my friend Stella," says Kim, abandoning her cold caffè mocha and uneaten cookie on the table to get up and follow Monique. "She is the one who picked out all my clothes for me and gave me this hair 'do."

"She has a fantastic sense of style," says Monique. "You look stunning but these are not what you should be wearing to school – unless you want to spend all day beating off every moonstruck Tom, Dick and Leroy who'll be lining up for a date."

"I'm already so tired of guys staring at my ears," complains Kim. "It makes me feel like I'm some sort of circus freak put on display. Why can't they just gawk and drool over my other parts – as most guys do? At least that would be easier to take," and Monique bursts with laughter.

"Well, I think your ears are beautiful, Bloom," smiles Monique, "and, baby-girl, most of the girls at Middleton High would kill to have your looks!"

Monique leads Kim through a back door, past a storage room full of manikins, shipping boxes, hangers and a sewing table and then introduces her to her boss, Lucille.

"Hello, Bloom," says Lucille, shaking Kim's hand. "Glad to meet you. You look to have an excellent sense of fashion and style and I'm in real need of an extra girl on the floor. Would you be interested in an after school job?"

"Thank you, but no," says Kim. "I'm going to be swamped with study and catch-up for being late transferring to Middleton High from my old school. No time for extracurricular, I'm afraid."

"Oh!" says Lucille, disappointed but with understanding. "Well, school comes first but there'll be a job here waiting for you whenever you want it."

"Thank you," says Kim then Monique grabs her hand and takes her to the main part of the store. "Did you set this up for me?" whispers Kim to Monique who smiles and nods.

Kim is going through the racks of dresses when she spies a familiar patch of green and finds a black and green cat suit hanging on the wall and marked down for clearance.

"I didn't expect to find anything like this being sold here," Kim says to Monique.

"Neither did we," Monique tells her, "but a lot of weird things happened after our friend Kim went missing. First there was a revival of Kim-Style, next some really spooky guy with a scar under one eye shows up with an army of guys dressed in red who dumped boxes of these cat suits on the floor and then made Lucille a deal she couldn't refuse. He told her that she could have all the profits from what she sold if she got everyone she sold one to to look out for this missing girl named Shego who was depicted wearing these cat suits on every label. Well, to our surprise Shego-Style flew off the racks as fast as Kim-Style but, although we tried to discourage them, you should have seen some of the body types that tried to squeeze themselves into these skin-tight suits!"

Kim then gets an unbidden image in her mind of D.N. Amy in Shego's cat suit and starts to laugh.

"Anyway," continues Monique also laughing, "everything was going well until Blue Boy showed up with more cat suits that we couldn't sell because the right sleeves were sewn in crooked. So, Lucille cut off the tops and re-stitched the bottoms to make slacks. Then we added black tank-tops and a Kim-Style utility belt and sold them as Ki-Go-Style which we could hardly keep in stock. But these are not for you," Monique tells her. "Shego-Style is too slinky and you are far too sophisticated for either Kim or Ki-Go-Style. Come, I think we can find something more suitable over here."

After three hours, Kim has a complete wardrobe picked out with all the accessories. Lucille asks her if she wants to put some things on lay-away or open a credit account with Club Banana but Kim surprises her and Monique by paying for everything with ten big ones she peels from a wad of cash Shego had given her.

"I don't think Bloom will be wanting that part-time job," Lucille whispers to Monique.

Once whisked back to Shego's hide-out, Shego asks her what when down that morning that prompted Kim to be so angry with her and then make a mental cry for help. Kim no sooner begins to tell her when she is overcome with grief and Shego finds herself rocking her in her arms as Kim cries herself out.

"My dad looked me straight in the eye and didn't even recognize me," Kim weeps. "He just said to my mom that I'm some other girl and not their Kimmy-Cub."

"I sorrow for you, Princess, but I feared all along this would happen," says Shego softly. "We don't belong to Terra anymore, Kim. We are Alfean and, in addition, we are daughters of a long-lost, space-faring race called the Kimiran."

"But I had plans to finish high school then go to university," sobs Kim.

"I figured so much," says Shego, "so I have been doing other things besides running around today with Romero. Here are your new visa, your new Green Card, your birth certificate, driver's licence, your bank account book and school ID," dropping the documents one-by-one on the table before her. "Your grades have been transferred from your 'old school' to Middleton High and I can set you up with an apartment of your own if you want one but, from now on, on Terra you are Bloom Flower-Child."

Kim is about to ask Shego how but Shego places her fingers gently upon Kim's lips and kisses her forehead. "Ask me no questions, Princess, so I'll tell you no lies. Don't fret about a thing. Everything here is legal and the proper paper-trail is set in place should anyone check. I'll just say that I used my influence to get everything fast-tracked for you."


	55. A Visit To Middleton, Part 3

**Chapter 55 : A Visit To Middleton, Part 3**

"Well, I find that the best way to forget one's troubles is to live life to the hilt," smiles Shego, "and we still have the better part of a million dollars to blow. Let's have some fun, Princess."

"Ya," says Kim, wiping away tears. "Sounds like a plan."

For the next few days, Shego takes Kim through parts and places of Middleton she never knew existed – most of which Shego calls a_ cachette. _Shego slinks and swivels through the crowds with Kim in tow introducing her to "eligible young men" whom out loud she calls Jim, Dick, Bob, Larry, Curly, Moe and Hans but telepathically to Kim it's Forger 300, Counterfeiter 543, Conman 86, Henchmen one, two and three and a warning to watch her back near Hans or she's liable to get goosed. Then there is fine dining and dancing, racetrack betting, and gambling at the roulette wheel. Shego soon grows bored of this and asks Kim if she wants to go for a game of "Bang-Bang."

"Is this something like Big Daddy Brotherson's game of 'Thud'?" asks Kim, cringing.

"Much better!" exclaims Shego, grinning. "You are an adventurous girl so I know you are going to love this."

Shego teleports Kim to a hanger where a green and dark green double seated fighter that is bristling with every type of armament conceivable is fuelled and prepared for take-off. "This is my baby: The Green Wolf," proclaims Shego proudly. "Let's get you outfitted and get ourselves up into the wild blue yonder."

They are soon airborne and Kim is beginning to think that this is only to be a boring cruise until she learns that "Bang-Bang" involves flying into the restricted and no-fly zones of the world and then playing supersonic tag, catch-as-catch-can, tip-the-wings and chicken with all the missiles and fighters sent to bring her down.

Kim is white-knuckled with her head spinning, her heart in her throat, her stomach feeling about to bring up every breakfast, dinner and supper from six months back while she and Shego scream their heads off until Shego flies into a zone where the pilots of the fighters sent up to chase her off seemed to be on familiar and friendly terms with her.

"Watch your six, Green Wolf, or it's bang-bang," comes a voice over the comm speaker.

"Bang-bang yourself," counters Shego. "If I had been shooting live munitions instead of lazer lights and holo-missiles you and your squadron would have been dead one minute into the game."

"I guess you're right about that," admits the pilot. "You have proven yourself as mistress of the skies – yet again."

"Aww, come on guys!" says Shego in a pouty voice. "You're all supposed to be top-guns. Get with the program and give me a good chase. Come on! Come get me!"

"Sorry, Green Wolf," says the pilot. "maybe next time. Now you'd better hightail it out of our airspace or it will be bang-bang for real."

"That's just it, guys," says Shego disappointed. "There is not to be a next time. This is_ vaya con dios_."

"We are going to miss you, Green Wolf," comes another voice over the comm. "If this is to be our last time then, would you at least tell us your name and what you look like?"

"Fat chance of getting my name," laughs Shego, "but I'm young, beautiful, with skin as white as alabaster, cool green eyes the colour of jade, hair as black as midnight, a curvaceous body that just won't quit and every inch of me is more woman than any of you can handle."

« Brag much? » sends Kim.

« Not in the least, » replies Shego. « Besides, there's no conceit in my family because I have it all. »

When The Green Wolf gets back to base and Kim is helped out of the cockpit, she braces herself against it, holding her stomach and her head spinning.

"How many times did you come to getting us nearly killed?" screams Kim.

"Two, maybe three dozen times," replies Shego grinning. "How do you feel?"

"Scared out of my wits but, man, what a rush!" gasps Kim wide-eyed.

"I always knew you were an adrenalin junky," laughs Shego. "Well, I'm starving. Let's get something to eat."

"You're kidding me," says Kim, turning green.

Kim continues to attend school and take all her regular classes, however, as the week draws close to its end, she realizes that this is not working out for her and decides to go back with Shego to Alfea.

"We have an official transcript of your grades," Shego tells her. "I will have Icy translate it into Witchspeak to present to Miss Griffin. You stand an excellent chance of being enrolled at Cloud Tower. The education system on Alfea is more flexible than any on Terra because of the need to be able to accept students from many planets and many cultures. The basic requirements are to be able to use magic and to have the desire to learn."

"But I'm not a Witch nor do I possess any magical powers," objects Kim. "I'm sure to be screened out before the process of admission even begins."

"Let's leave Miss Griffin to decide that," says Shego encouragingly. "When I first arrived on Alfea, all I thought I had going for me were my comet-enhancements but then I began to change. First I acquired the power of long-range teleportation, telepathy and now, because of my bond with Icy, I have other powers I'm only beginning to know about or understand. You have already changed and maybe you have latent powers that are yet to become manifest."

Kim is looking at Shego with a doubtful expression. "You have a lot to learn and a lot more to unlearn – especially the things you think you know about Witches and Faeries," Shego tells her. "You are about to have even more life-changing experiences."

On the evening before she departs, Kim invites Ron and Rufus to dinner at a posh restaurant called_ Café des Artistes. _Both turn out snappily and correctly dressed for the occasion but as soon as they enter, the host in charge of seating raises an objection to Rufus. Kim then borrows a page from Shego's book and slips him a crisp one hundred dollar bill whereupon the host has to admit that it is not the restaurant's policy to discriminate against a guest because of that person's size and that the gentleman in question is following the proper dress code.

"I hope you're hungry," says Kim once she, Ron and the "little gentleman" are seated.

"Starving," admits Ron but, upon opening the menu and seeing that the price for just an appetizer is more than he would ever dream of spending even on Nacho Nights at Bueno Nacho, turns pale and looks about to slide down onto the floor to hide under the table.

"It's okay, Ron," whispers Kim. "Order whatever you want and enjoy. Relax – I'm buying."

"Are you sure, Bloom?" asks Ron. "I don't want to spend a week washing dishes to pay for this."

"Ron!" exclaims Kim softly but with a hint of annoyance. "By The Tree, just chillax and enjoy your meal. You are going to spoil your appetite and then I'll be really upset. Here, take this," she tells him, stuffing several large denomination bills into his vest pocket. "There is enough there to cover everything even if we eat all night and still leave an insanely generous tip."

Meanwhile, the waiter has come to their table and in a very stuffy manner takes their orders. Then, turning to Ron, asks if the "little gentleman" will be ordering something to eat.

"Nachos! Cheese!" exclaims Rufus, standing on his hind paws and looking the waiter straight in the eye.

"Sorry, Rufus," says Ron, "I don't think they serve nachos and cheese here."

"Humf!" scolds Rufus with his forepaws on his hips, while copping a haughty attitude of disapproval.

"He surely knows what he wants, huh," laughs the waiter – the stuffiness gone from his voice. "And actually we do serve nachos with cheese and guacamole plus a few other items. It comes as our Fiesta Munchie Platter. Shall I put in an order for it large enough for three?"

"Yes," smiles Kim. "Rufus here can pack away enough for two."

"Yay-hay!" exclaims Rufus, patting his tummy in expectation.

After dinner, Kim breaks it to Ron that she is leaving and perhaps it will be for a long time.

"But Bloom," says Ron, his voice nearly breaking with sadness, "no sooner have I met you than now you are leaving me?"

"Sorry, Ron," says Kim with a tear coming to her eye, "but it has to be this way."

"I'm going to be brave and not cry, Bloom," chokes Ron but Rufus is already sobbing loud and long.

"Take care, Ron," says Kim this time wrapping her arms about his neck and kissing his lips. "Don't be sad for we may yet meet again."

"I'll be watching for you, Bloom," says Ron but in that split second she seems to just vanish.

When Shego whisks Kim back to Alfea and to the Comm Station, she finds that she can't help but to spill out to The Winx and the Witches what went down while on her visit to Middleton and especially her grief over the dilemma with her parents. To her surprise, she finds more support among them than she would ever have expected as Bloom, Musa, Stella and Icy each tell her of her loss of a family member through death, disease or fate and all promise Kim to be part of her support group while getting over this emotional hurtle in her life. Then Bloom does something strange by kissing her on both temples and whispering to her, "My Sister."

« What is she doing? » Kim unconsciously sends to Shego.

« It's an Alfean custom, » sends back Shego. « It means you have been accepted into the group in more than just a casual way. Do as she has done in return or she'll be offended. »

Kim repeats the gesture to Bloom then one-by-one it is repeated with all from Bloom down to Wo-Hu.

"I have a little something to give you," Stella tells her, "that I hope makes up for disposing of your cheerleader's outfit. I had no idea how much it meant to you. But, Shego told me that there is something else you miss from Terra that you couldn't bring to Alfea. Hold out your hands and close your eyes."

Kim closes her eyes and opens her hands then feels something warm and furry being gently set between her palms.

"Open your eyes," says Stella.

"Panda Roo!" exclaims Kim in joyful surprise but what is more surprising is when the little doll gets up on his hind legs and begins to dance.

"A robot?" asks Kim.

"No," says Stella, "he's a Faerie Pet." Then the pet sprouts wings, flies up to eyelevel with Kim and in a voice that's so befitting says, "Hello Kim. Give me a name then I'm yours forever."

"Panda Roo," sobs Kim holding the little pet close to her when he lands again onto her hands. "You're my dear Panda Roo."

"He's house trained," explains Bloom. "He requires the same care you'd give a cat on Terra. Here is his litter box and litter."

"And here is his food," says Stella. "You should feed him now to cement the bond between you."

"How much do I give him?" asks Kim, opening a box to find it filled with green pellets.

"Five pellets, twice a day, for now, which should be followed by some water," says Stella.

Kim places Panda Roo on the floor and smiles as he says "Thank you," after he takes and eats each pellet she offers him then accepts a drink of water from a doll's cup that Stella has filled and given her then hands it back to her when done.

"Thank you, Stella," cries Kim, hugging Stella's neck. "This more than makes up for everything."

In a little house in the City of Middleton, Colorado, a boy genius sits in his room surrounded by electronic gadgetry programming reams of complex code into his computer at the speed of light. He hits the compile button and alarms start to blare. For a moment he thinks it is due to a major glitch in his coding but then realizes that the alarm comes not from his computer but from another device.

"The Kimmunicator!" says Wade in surprise and quickly activates a host of location programs designed to track and pinpoint the Kimmunicator's signal. "Mars? This can't be!" then flips his Communicator to receive only mode.

"Wade?" comes a soft but unfamiliar female voice over the speaker. "Wade? Are you there? Answer please."

"This cannot be," thinks Wade. "Only Kim and I can use the Kimmunicator."

"Wade," pleas the voice, "please respond."

Wade switches his Communicator to conference mode. "Wade here," he says. "Who is this?"

"Thank the Heavens," breathes the voice in obvious relief while excited chatter in some foreign language goes on in the background. "Wade, it's Kim."

"What are you doing on Mars, Kim, and why is your Kimmunicator screen off?" asks Wade with suspicion.

"I'm not on Mars," replies Kim. "The signal is being relayed through several off planet systems from where I am to an old but still functioning NASA Mars probe."

"Forgive me, but I find this to be too fantastic even for Kim. I shall have to run a check if you don't want to show me your face. Place your right hand on the Kimmunicator face," demands Wade.

"Positive identification: Kim Possible," comes a Bee-Bee sounding voice over another speaker.

"Okay, you have been positively identified as Kim Possible. Where are you?" asks Wade.

"I'm on the Planet of Alfea," replies Kim then switches on her Kimmunicator camera to give Wade a panoramic view of outside the Comm Station with the Huntress, the Hart and the faint outline of two of the Three Sisters hanging in the sky.

"Wow!" gasps Wade. "But why won't you show me your face?"

"This planet has changed me," says Kim. "I have gone native, so to say, and I wanted you to make a positive identification before showing you my transmutated self. I guess you just used my palm print to do that."

"No," says Wade, "I had you chipped with a chip that is uniquely yours and only responds in a certain way to your Kimmunicator while you are alive. I guess that you really are on this Planet of Alfea."

"Wade!" exclaims Kim in shock and surprise.

"I always take care of my friends," says Wade casually. "How about letting me have a look at this native you?"

"Turning the camera over now," says Kim and Wade braces himself expecting to see some mask of horror then sits stunned as he looks into the gently smiling face of a beautiful Faerie Princess that now fills the screen.

"Whoa!" exclaims Wade, once able to speak again. "Forgive a guy's drooling moment, Kim, but: Baby, Baby! You're gorgeous! But how did you get to be on Alfea?"

"Thank you," blushes Kim, while a chorus of "Aww" is heard in the background. "Shego brought me here to help solve a major mystery."

"Hello Gadget-Boy," smiles Shego, holding up a plasma lit fist. "Don't worry about Kim. She's safe and in good hands here."

"As Shego says, I'm safe and okay but I need your help to break the news to my parents of where I am and the changes that have come over me," then Kim recounts to Wade how her last encounter with them went down.

"I see," says Wade, "but your mom and dad have been through a lot lately and hassled from all sides by reporters, talk show hosts, scam artists and about every other kind of slime-ball out to make a buck on your disappearance and their misery including a whole host of Kim look and sound alikes. There is a police cruiser parked in front of your house twenty-four-seven to keep people from squatting on your lawn and they have had to arrange with the telephone company to have all calls screened so they won't be bothered day and night."

"I had no idea," says Kim distressed. "That is why I hoped that you could arrange some sort of real time holo-conference between Alfea and Terra whereby I can let them know that I am well and safe and also ease them into my new appearance. I would also like the Stoppables and you to attend because this will involve you all."

Wade is mulling over the possibilities when he sees a slender hand pulling at Kim's arm. "There is someone here who also wants to talk to you, Wade, and she won't give me any peace until she does." Another woman moves into view and Wade's heart goes "Thud!" as he looks into the face of this elfin beauty with magenta hair and large indigo eyes who is looking back at him with the expression of one who has just come face-to-face with the deity. She turns to Kim and says something to her in some soft and melodic language, then turns and smiles once more at him.

"She has just told me to tell you to be ready to receive and install a program that she is going to send you," and Wade frowns, concerned.

"You don't have to fear anything," Kim assures him. "She's a professional – in fact, she's the one who re-programmed my Kimmunicator to be able to talk to you."

"What's it for?" asks Wade.

"She doesn't speak English and it's for sure that you don't speak Alfean," explains Kim. "This program sets up a translation matrix that will allow you to talk to one another."

Wade is tapping away at his keyboard and then announces, "Received and installed."

"Hello, Wade," says the magenta haired woman and with those two words melts his heart. "My name is Tecna."

"Hello, Lady Tecna," replies Wade, hoping that that is acceptable but Tecna looks at him blushing as another chorus of "Aww!" comes from off-screen.

"You need not be so formal," Tecna tells him. "'Tecna' will do just fine."

"I have been looking at your work," Tecna tells him, holding up several of the special boards he had created for Kim's PC. "You are a technical master to have built such beautiful works of art out of junk."

"Junk!" exclaims Wade taken aback. "Those are state-of-the-art components!"

"Believe me, Wade, this is meant as no insult to your genius," says Tecna apologetically. "These components are primitive compared to what exists on my planet but what you have done with them is unbelievable. Your talents are wasted on a technically backward planet such as Terra."

"You think so," asks Wade, beginning to blush red and preening.

"Yes," says Tecna, "so I am going to see if the government of my planet will let you go there where your talents will be appreciated. We are in really bad need of new blood. Would you like that?"

"Would I!" exclaims Wade. "I can have my bags packed within the hour."

"Everything still has to go through due process," says Tecna, "but I shall try to avoid having you wait for too long. Now, for a little something that should pique your interest, I shall allow you to scan my hand."

"Neural networks, tactile interfaces and things I can't even guess about," whistles Wade as he scans Tecna's hand. "Are you a cyborg?"

"I guess I could be called that," Tecna tells him. "We can discuss the details later but, in the meantime, we need to solve Kim's problem."

Wade and Tecna are exchanging rapid streams of techno-data but soon run into a snag that has them both stymied. They are scratching their heads over it when Stormy butts into the conversation.

"What is the problem?" Stormy asks Tecna and Wade.

"It's this," says Tecna, giving Stormy the details.

"That should be easy enough to solve," says Stormy confidently then spews out her ideas on how to resolve the problem while Tecna and Wade look at her and then each other with eyes wide and mouths agape.

"That is the craziest, most backward, illogical, warped and convoluted solution to this I have ever heard!" whistles Wade. "But, you know, I think it will work! Let me crunch some numbers here."

"Way to go, Stormy!" praises Tecna. "That was brilliant. Sister, I wish I had your gift!"

"Yes, this is going to work," confirms Wade. "I will coordinate with the Possibles and the Stoppables on my end. All I need is a time reference between Earth and Alfea to sync on and we're set."

"We work pretty well as a team, don't we?" smiles Stormy. "Perhaps we should form a trix. We could call ourselves The Brain Trix."

"That would be the strangest trix in history," says Tecna, "but you know, we might just be able to swing it."

"What's a trix?" asks Wade, puzzled.

"For us, it would be akin to a brain pool," says Tecna. "A bit complicated to explain in the time we have. I'm transmitting to you the data you'll need now. I'll have Kim prepared on my end. It has been an honour speaking with you, Wade, but our time is nearly up. Bye for now and talk with you again soon!"

"Bye for now and thank you," says Kim then the connection goes dead.


End file.
